The North Face Endurance Challenge Championships Contest
October 4, 2010 by Bryon Powell · 183 Comments
[Note: This contest is now closed. Winners were announced here.]
We’re teaming up with The North Face to provide a lucky winner with free entry into his or her choice of any The North Face Endurance Challenge Championship weekend race (December 4-5 in San Francisco’s Marin Headlands), a full Better Than Naked running outfit, and a pair of TNF Single-Track shoes. All you have to do to enter is to let us know why you’d like to run one of the TNF EC championship races.*
The North Face Endurance Challenge Championship Weekend
This year, each of the five TNF Endurance Challenge locations features a full weekend’s worth of exciting trail racing. For the fourth straight year, the 50-mile championship race headlines the showcase of races. Run on Saturday, December 4, the 50-mile race through the Marin Headlands will feature what could be the US’s best ultrarunning field of the year. Up for grabs is $30,000 in prize money with $10,000/$4,000/$1,000 going to both the top three men and top three women. Oh, and there are big bragging rights on the line as most competitors head into an off-season.
If you don’t want to run the 50-mile championship race, but still want to challenge yourself on Marin Headlands trails that weekend, there are a ton of other trail race options. On Saturday, December 4, The North Face will also host a 50k, a marathon, a marathon relay, and a kid’s run. For those hoping to wrap up their season with a shorter race, there will be a half marathon, a 10k, a 5k and another kid’s run on Sunday, December 5. After covering the 50- mile race on Saturday, iRunFar’s Bryon Powell will be running one of Sunday’s shorter races.
As noted above, the winner of this contest gets a free entry into whichever race he or she wants to run. (Travel and lodging are up to the winner.)
Better Than Naked Apparel
The North Face's forthcoming Better Than Naked men's crew.
Next spring, The North Face will be launching a line of Better Than Naked performance running apparel. The line features super lightweight breathable and weather-resistant materials… that make it better than running naked. While the human body also lacks reflective features, each piece in the Better Than Naked line makes up for this evolutionary deficiency.
When released, there will be three Better Than Naked items available for both men and women: a jacket, crew shirt, and short. The winner of this contest will receive a full his or hers set that includes a Better Than Naked jacket, crew, and short well before they’re available to the public! (Note that the line will also include a women’s Better Than Naked singlet.)
TNF Single-Track Shoes
As clothes can enhance the running experience, so too can shoes. Thankfully, The North Face is rounding out the winner’s kit with a pair of the company’s award-winning Single-Track shoes. As a team of iRunFar reviewers has previously put this hybrid trail runner to the test, we’ll direct you to our The North Face Single-Track review.
To be eligible to win this huge prize package, you need not write a huge essay on why you’d like to run one of the The North Face Endurance Challenge Championship weekend races. A short note will do. The winner will be drawn at random. Entry is open to anyone anywhere! Be sure to leave your name and town. The contest will close Friday, October 15th at 5 p.m. PDT. We’ll announce the winner along with all the other One Miillionth Pageview contest winners on Monday, October 18th.
Related articles:
- The North Face Endurance Challenge Championships Filling Fast! The GORE-TEX 50 mile race at December's The North Face Endurance Challenge Championships is filling fast!...
- Relentless Forward Progress: The North Face and Smith Optics Contest A contest with The North Face and Smith Optics to celebrate the launch of Relentless Forward Progress: A Guide to Running Ultramarathons....
- 2010 The North Face Endurance Challenge Championship Results Results of the 2010 The North Face Endurance Challenge 50 Mile Championship presented by GORE-TEX....
Bryon Powell is the Editor-in-Chief of iRunFar.com, which he founded five years ago. Also the author of Relentless Forward Progress: A Guide to Running Ultramarathons and a contributing editor at Trail Runner magazine, he's quickly approaching 10 years as an ultrarunner and 20 years as a trail runner. These days he calls Park City, Utah and its trails home.
All posts by Bryon Powell
I would like to run in TNF Endurance Challenge 50K as I’ve never had the opportunity to run in the pacific northwest. I’ve read so much about the trails in northern CA… And TNF is one of my favorite gear companies, this would be an awesome experience for me, or any runner for that matter. Thanks for the chance to try and win this opportunity.
Running the NF50 in the Marin Headlands would be an amazing adventure and I could see my sister too! I have studied the rocks from that area over the past three years so having a chance to run over them would be fantastic. Thanks for having these contests, any chance to win free running gear, especially for a grad student, is welcome.
K. Bradbury
Smithfield, UT
Argh, forgot to add my vital info!
Jeff F.
Beaver Dams, NY
Wait… I can run on the same course that saw Uli and Geoff go head-to-head last year? Plus Matt and Kyle the year before? That’s reason enough for me right there.
Jon Allen
Greenville, SC
Free entry to The North Face Endurance Challenge? I can think of no better way for me to return to the 50-mile distance!
Jeff Lorow
Mechanicsburg, PA
Why not? I figure why not add one more ultra onto my resume this season, while gaining so valuable west coast racing experience. I am not sure if my coach would approve, although here is my rational. My lucky number is three and three squared is nine and having the opportunity to run in the North Face Challenge would put me at 9 races for the year, I think it is meant to be!
Aliza Lapierre
Hello, Would love to win the prize. I have been looking for my first ultra and this would be a great one. Been reading and inspired by iRunFar for a while. Good work. Gave
I’ve enjoyed watching the Youtube video of Geoff and Uli running from last year, would love to participate in the 50 miler since I can’t do the one in Georgia in 2 weeks.
Mike
Charlotte, NC
This would be a great event to follow up my Leadville finish with and a great way to end the year! Plus most of my gear is Northface so it would be a win-win.
Shad
Boulder, CO
After struggling with a nerve injury in my leg the past year, the North Face race would be a fantastic comeback race. I’d love to participate! –Tracy K, Santa Fe, NM
I ran the 2008 Madison Challenge 10K and loved it – I’d like to move up to the 25K maybe. It would also be cool to run in NoCal and meet Bryon.
Trail running is one of the few sports where “the masses” (i.e. two-bit shmucks like me) can line up side by side with “the elites”. The opportunity to do just that at a big race like the TNF EC would be a huge highlight for any middle-of-the-pack runner.
Jacob W
Santa Fe, NM
The views on the trails in the Marin headlands are fantastic–the trail itself is what motivates me to run these events.
I’ve been hooked on the ultra distance since about January, and have been nearly obsessed since running my first 50k race in July. I’ve been dying to get in a 50-miler, and having seen pictures of the course can’t think of a more enjoyable locale to break into the distance at.
Scott T. Kretz
Alamosa, Colo.
I’d love an opportunity to represent the east coast while running a terrific trail race put on by The North Face. I’ve volunteered for a TNF Endurance Challenge event in the past but now I’m ready to run one instead and none are better than the championship in SF!
Thanks
Harris Brenner
Newtown, PA
I would love to have the opportunity to run a 50 mile race in the headlands. I have always been intrigued with miwok and the headlands area, and i think it would be such a wonderful experience. Also, I have a good friend who is running this race, and I think he’ll be one of the top runners ( or win he has ran well there in the past) and I think it would be great to be able to cheer him on :o)
As a new runner looking for new goals to achieve, the North Face Endurance Challenge Championship seems to be the perfect solution to expand and conquer this goal. Winning the entry and gear will be the perfect ticket for it. Just get on a plane and run!
Mauricio Solis,
Jonesboro, AR
ooooh, there’s nothing like marin in the fall… and given the poison oak in the area, a sweet north face kit would definitely be better than nakedness! bring on the boudin sourdough, the local espresso roasts, and the sanfran G’s dark chocolate… after the race!
Kristin Zosel
Eugene, OR
My first race ever, leading to an addiction, was TNF Madison two years ago. I ran the 10k and enjoyed it so much I signed up for the Half as soon as registration opened for the 2009 event. For 2010 a schedule conflict forced me choose a different race, I had planned on the 50k (I am running Glacial Trail 50k on 10/10).
If I were to win entry to the December event I could keep my streak alive. North Face puts on a great series, I was disappointed to miss this year!
CJ LaFond
Madison, WI
I’d love a shot at running TNF Endurance Challenge in the Marin Headlands… I ran my first two ultra’s this last summer and I’d love to add another to the list! I’d considered trying to make it to this race prior to this contest but $$$ is tight right now: This contest would make it feasible.
Jim-
Seattle WA
I want to run the 50 because someone’s got to push Krupicka, Roes, Steidl and the other slackers expected to toe the line at this race.
Jim P.
Evergreen, CO
It would be an amazing experience to run such a world class event and to see how high TNF sets the bar at their races. Also my coach and 2 other guys from the running club are running the race so adding a little more Edmonton falvour would be a great thing. Finally, free gear is always good and the single track look like a great option for winter running up here in the Great White North.
Mark
Edmonton, Alberta
I would love to run this ultra on the west coast! Thanks for the contest and Bryon, your site is fantastic and congratulations on 1,000,000!!
I’m not a digital native and this is the first time I’ve commented, ever! Here’s the hometown-
Marty
Woodbridge, VA
I would like to run TNF challenge 50 in San Francisco because I loved the Miwok course so much. It’s an awesome place to run.
Jesse
Folsom CA
Marin muddafuggin Headlands. Need I say more?
Jim
Davis, Ca
Would love a free shot!
Thanks
peace
I would love to run The North Face 50 miler! I was planning on Miwok this year, but since it conflicted with Opening Day (for rowing), I had to bail. Would be so amazing to run in the Headlands. Though I lived in the Bay Area for grad school, I wasn’t a trail runner back then, so I’ve never done it!
Oops, I think I was supposed to put my city as well. Seattle, Washington. :)
Looking for a reason to buck up and run my first 50-miler… free entry to TNFEC sounds as good as any other, right?
Gilbert L.
Los Angeles, CA
I would love to run the North Face 50 miler and wear the new running clothes and shoes to make me feel even faster and of course look even faster. I have never ran a trail race outside of Ms. or Alabama.
Thanks for the Chance,
Cheri
i proposed to my girlfriend in san francisco last january and would love for a reason to go back.
peter L.
harrison, ny
Please put me in the contest, I would love to run the North Face 50 miler!!!!!
I like running and racing is just cream on top.
John D.
Helena, mt
I would like to run the North Face 50 miler since it’s totally my old home turf and looks totally stunning. It would be nice to escape the desert for a little while.
Jon
Tempe, AZ
I first started running more than 20 years ago in the Bay Area, so there’s definitely a special place in my heart for those Bay Area trails. I’d love to revisit them, and I’d love the gear, because nobody wants to see me naked.
Mariko
Portland, OR
I just ran my first ultra this past weekend and loved it… have thought about TNF ‘challenge’ races and think it would be awesome to run in a race from such a successful series.
and by “ran my first ultra” he means he finished 2nd, darn overachiever
I REALLY need a December race to train for. This would be perfect! Nice looking shirt, too…
Turi Becker
Reno, NV
It would be the most amazing homecoming for this Californian who has only raced ultras on the East Coast.
Alex
Princeton, NJ
Have done one 50K ultra on an Island on the East Coast: loved it!…would love the opportunity to do another on the West Coast. What a way to end the year! add on the experience of a lifetime in a great event, free gear and te chance to challenge myself; WOW! :)
Theresa
Camden, Maine
I have been training and racing mainly on the road, but would love to try an off-road race and see what I’ve been missing! The clothes would be an added bonus!
Kent Keeler
Thorold, ON, Canada
I attempted my first 50 miler this spring, but was undertrained and slightly injured. I had to drop after 35 miles and have been itching to get out there to try another 50 miler again.
Branton
Issaquah, WA
I prefer running naked, so this I’ve got to try!
Dan
Washington, DC
A chance to race for free?! With that field of runners? And in the Headlands? Count me in the mix.
Joe
Portland, OR
I’ve never run in the Headlands and would love to.
I’d like to run a 50 miler at some point. I may be up for the challenge next year.
I live in the East Coast. Running in the Marin Headland in Dec just sounds a lot better than running in the East Coast. I’ve done 3 of the North Face Endurance 50 milers and they’re well organized races. I highly recommend them.
I can’t think of a better way to spend the weekend! Hanging with family and friends in the Bay area, free entry into an awesome race, free shoes, free clothes…
Awesome Contest!
Rod
Grass Valley, CA
I’m looking to run my first ultra! Grew up in Northern California and would love for my first ultra distance race to be there where my family can join me in the celebration (hopefully there will be something worth celebrating :) )
Sean Mc.
Los Angeles, CA
I just started venturing off the road and onto trails and would love to run in one of the North Face Endurance Challenge Championship races.
Thanks,
Chris
Morgan Hill, CA
Theoretically a resident of the lovely San Francisco Bay Area, over the last two years I’ve spent a total of 3 measley months at home. Why? Because I keep getting sent overseas for work.
While that may sound glamorous, consider my latest (and current) location is “The Midlands” of England. For those in the know (and I don’t know why you’d want to know about this location), this includes food that is basically coronary heart disease on a plate. When I go for a run, people look at me like I’m crazy. And since runners are few and far between, I have been lucky enough to have been chased by several dogs to include a greyhound that tore into my side and gave me some lovely scars.
I return to my home in the Bay Area on November 18th. After moving back into my house for the SIXTH TIME, what better way to celebrate a return to the US than a 50 mile run in the beautiful headlands? I realize that a race held in December in California will likely involve rain. I’ll be ready: it rains in England every freakin’ day.
The North Face Endurance Challenge Championships sounds like a perfect way to end the year and to test myself after Mother Road III 100 miler. However, I can do neither as I will be at the ortho’s office in the morning to see if I am a candidate for orthotripsy to remove bone spurs in my heel. You know you need to do some thing when you DNF a 5K due to pain. Irrespective of not being able to run I would like to enter the contest just for the great gear.
Henry Bickerstaff
Alva, OK