Mark your calendar for August 2-3, 2025 (permit pending) for Bellingham’s loopest race!
Hamster Endurance Run 6/12/24/32 hour event was created in 2013 by Kelly Krieger. Kelly found it to be a fun and loopy way to run miles while raising money for local organizations. In November 2018, Kelly was searching for someone to take over Hamster and found yours truly. The 2024 Hamster Endurance Runs will be happening on August 2-3, 2025 and be giving to the Whatcom Family YMCA Girls on The Run Program.
Photo by Takao Suzuki, 2019
Registration // Pricing
Registration for the 2025 Hamster races will open early January. Limited to 120 runners TOTAL, and there will be a waitlist for each race. Everyone will receive a custom made wood keepsake by local company Elastic Laser. Belt buckles are given to anyone who completes 100 miles. Awards will be given to the top 3 women, men, and non-binary runners in each event.
| 6 Hour | 12 Hour | 24 Hour | 32 Hour | |
| Early-bird // Dates TBD | $80 | $100 | $180 | $200 |
| Regular // Dates TBD | $100 | $120 | $200 | $230 |
| Last Chance // Dates TBD | $115 | $135 | $225 | $255 |
Results & Photos
=== 2024 Photos & Results ===
Click here for 2024 Results // All photos taken courtesy of Takao Suzuki
=== 2023 Photos & Results ===
Click here for 2023 Results // All photos taken courtesy of Takao Suzuki
=== 2022 Photos & Results ===
Click here for 2022 Results // All photos taken courtesy of Takao Suzuki
=== 2021 Photos & Results ===
Click here for 2021 Results // Photos courtesy of Takao Suzuki & 32hr finish-line photos courtesy of Taryn Graham
=== 2019 Results ===
Click here for 2019 Results // Photos courtesy of Takao Suzuki & 32hr finish-line photos courtesy of Ryan Thrower
=== 2017 Results ===
=== 2016 Results ===
=== 2015 Results ===
=== 2014 Results ===
=== 2013 Race ===
Course, Directions, Parking & Lodging
The course will be the well marked 2.6 mile trail that circumnavigates Lake Padden. The trail will have obvious markers and additional glow lights for the night time hours. The trail is a wooded, natural setting so it’s required that runners come prepared with headlamps. Trail surface is compact dirt and/or crushed gravel, nontechnical, with minimal elevation change. Each loop has 150+ ft. of elevation gain.
Race support will include a variety of food, water and electrolyte drinks:
There will be a variety of individually packed snacks, chips, gels, and more. Back by popular demand, a variety of wraps will be available including peanut butter and pickle (don’t knock it until you try it!). We will also have hot food and beverage options at night and Sunday morning for 24 & 32 hour runners. Updates will be shared as we get closer to the race when we know whether we can use portable stoves. We also encourage runners to bring their own fuel if there are special dietary restrictions and can not risk any cross contamination. We will have a large drop bag area, and runners will be welcome to use designated picnic tables under the shelter. There will be gluten free and vegan options!
Tent camping is not allowed outside the shelter but runners are allowed to take naps in their cars. 24 & 32 hour runners – we will only be allowed a few runners to rest during the night under the shelter. Based on Hamster history, this has not been an issue as runners spread out nicely. However, we encourage those going the distance to think of your car as a second aid station!
Runners will be able to exit and enter the course only at designated areas.
Directions
Start/Finish will be at the south end of Lake Padden near the baseball fields. Parking at or near the site is adequate but please carpool if possible.
I-5 From the South:
- Take exit #246 towards N. Lake Samish. Turn left onto south Samish Way, turn left onto Lakeshore Dr./park entrance.
- Follow drive straight towards lake and look for parking directions.
I-5 From the North:
- Take exit #252 Samish Way/WWU. Turn left onto Samish Way. Take first right to stay on S. Samish Way
- Turn right onto Lakeshore Dr./park entrance
- Follow drive straight towards lake and look for parking directions.
Camping is available nearby – Larrabee State Park campground – BOOK NOW!
Schedule
Saturday – August 2, 2025 – PRE-RACE INFO will be sent via email the Friday before the event. There will also be a brief pre-run reminders before the start of each race.
- 6:30-7:45 AM – Check in at Lake Padden (HEADS UP – the bathrooms will be open around 7:00am. Sorry for the pre-race inconvenience!)
- 8:00 AM – Start for 32 hour runners
- 8:05 AM – Start for 24 hour runners
- 8:10 AM – Start for 12 hour runners
- 8:15 AM – Start for 6 hour runners
- 2:05 PM – Finish for 6 hour runners (prizes handed or mailed to runners)
- 8:10 PM – Finish for 12 hour runners (prizes handed or mailed to runners)
Sunday – August 3, 2025
- 8:05 AM – Finish for 24 hour runners (belt buckles handed to runners as they finish)
- 4:00 PM – Finish for 32 hour runners (belt buckles handed to runners as they finish)
Partners
There are several businesses, local and nationwide, that are supporting Hamster Endurance Runs!
- FAIRHAVEN WALKERS & RUNNERS – Fairhaven Runners & Walkers has been supporting and serving the Bellingham running community for 22 years. Women and men’s winners for each race will receive a cool canvas bag, a pair of socks and a $25 gift certificate and each runner will get a discount coupon to use on their way out of town!
- PRIME SPORTS INSTITUTE – We feel very fortunate to have a business like Prime Sport Institute in Bellingham! Prime provides “athletic therapy to optimize performance, prevent injury and enable recovery.” Hamster Runners can take their bib number to Prime and receive a discounted recovery session and get a tour of what Prime has to offer.
SKRATCH LABS – Proudly serving Skratch electrolyte drink for 2023! “Skratch labs makes sports nutrition designed to help you perform better without offending your gut or your taste buds because we use real food, starting from scratch.”
K’UL CHOCOLATE – Our favorite chocolate for a few reasons – ” We put our energy into directly supporting women and independent cacao cooperatives to help break the cycle of generational poverty. Time and again, we have seen how investing directly in women means you are also investing in their families and communities.” We feel fortunate to have K’UL CHOCOLATE in our Bellingham backyard!
Q&A // Rules
- What is Walla Trails doing to keep runners safe pre-event, during the event, and post-event? UPDATE NOVEMBER 2022: We will be following what the COVID cases are like in Whatcom County leading up to August and communicating frequently with the City of Bellingham who approves our permit. Please be prepared for the following:
- Volunteers will be asked to take a rapid test if they appear sick
- All volunteers will have a mask on hand
- Hand sanitizer will be available at the start/finish/aid station area
- What is Walla Trails asking runners to do pre-event, during the event, and post-event? Here are some of the key safety measures we need all runners to follow:
- Stay home if not feeling well
- Please use hand washing stations or hand sanitizer as soon as you arrive, after you use the restroom, and after you finish the race
- Travel and stay with family or those in your running circle
- Are spectators allowed? Yes, spectators and/or crew are allowed. Please crew your runner at the start/finish of each loop under or near the shelter. There is plenty of room to spread out near the shelter – many runners set-up a staging area under trees near the bathrooms.
- Are pacers allowed? Yes, pacers are allowed for the 32 hour and 24 hour events once the 12 hour event is wrapped up a little after 8pm Saturday. Only one pacer at a time but a runner may have more than one pacer help.
- Are dogs welcome? UPDATE: Hamster Endurance Runs has insurance under USATF which does not allow runners to compete with dogs. Dogs are welcome on leash near the start/finish/aid station area but please do not let them eat aid station food (you’d be surprised!).
- Can I set up a tent to nap in if I am running the 24 or 32 hour race? No shelters of any kind are permitted due to park rules. However, you are welcome to nap in your cars or near the shelter at any point in time.
- What if the race is cancelled due to COVID or poor air quality (anything above 150 AQI)? We will offer rollovers for 2025 or 50% refund pending recouping costs of supply shopping, insurance, and rentals.
- Are there refunds? Yes:
- 95% refund by April 1, 2024 (we account for time and fees to mail a refund check)
- 50% refund April 2 – July 3, 2024
- No refunds on or after July 4
- Are there rollovers? Email wallagretchen@gmail.com to discuss