“It’s not the easiest run, but it’s not the hardest in the U.S.,” Green River resident Gary Killpack said moments after crossing the finish line. “The only downside, I had to stop and dump rocks out of my shoes.”
Killpack joined more than 130 other runners taking part in the Run with the Horses events Saturday morning, which featured a 10K, half marathon and marathon. During the past few years, the event has grown and has attracted runners from across the nation, as well as internationally. One runner, Ruth Buchanan, traveled from Houston with her husband to take part in the race. While she had competed in marathons in the past, she opted for the half-marathon run while her husband took up the full marathon.
For some, a marathon run in Green River is one step closer to completing a 50 states challenge, which requires dedicated runners to compete in one marathon in each state. For others, regardless of the distance, the run is an opportunity to take in the local sights along the way.
“This course is notable for the dramatic vistas of the high desert,” Rock Springs resident Chris Kennedy said.
Starting at Expedition Island, runners followed a course leading them through Green River and up to Wild Horse Canyon. Runners then ran along the road up the canyon and onto County Road 53 and the Pilot Butte Wild Horse Scenic Tour. Abby Long, a runner for Rigby, Idaho said she and her sister-in-law chose Green River as the site for their first 10K run due to the natural beauty found along the course and the opportunity to see wild horses.
“We wanted to do a pretty one,” Long said.
However, while the course is known for its scenic attributes, it also can challenge the best runners. Once runners leave the paved road and start their trek along County Road 53, the have to contend with a continual incline as they run up the canyon.
Buchanan noted the course’s difficulty after she finished her run, saying it required some hard work, but believes the course itself to be good overall.
Killpack, an avid runner also competing in the half-marathon, said the incline can be tough as it is a steady climb over a distance of about 2.5 miles.
While one would assume that early climb would represent the only difficult portion of race, runners are challenged by that same section as they descend Wild Horse Canyon and return to Green River. Running downhill, according to Killpack, can be tough on a person’s knees.
Despite those challenges, runners continue to come to Green River for a chance to run with the horses. Long said she enjoyed the run, with her sister-in-law Madeline Long saying the scenery alone was worth the trip from Idaho. Kennedy, who took park in the first Run with the Horses Marathon, said the staff hosting the event continue to do a great job handling the multiple runs.
“It’s really a nice event,” he said.
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