2025 Detailed Race Info and Important Information

Please read the below information very carefully for detailed information regarding the 3 Capes Relay this next weekend.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: We have two exchange points that needs staffing. If you know of 2-3 people who can help for about 3-4 hours, we can refund your participation fee to cover. Please e-mail us at pat@ultimookrace.com. We also need help at the finish line passing out medals. We can also use help at the start line directing traffic. We can also use someone with a large vehicle to give a shuttle ride from Pacific City to the start. Please let me know if you can help!

Furthermore, we have someone looking for a team. Let me know if you can use someone on your team and I can make the connection.

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Dear 3 Cape Relay Participants,     Thank you for signing up for the Three Capes Relay to be held Feb 22nd.  It is an Ultimook non-profit event that benefits youth running programs throughout the Pacific Northwest. This is important information that everyone on your team should know. Please pass this information on to your team members.

For those of you concerned about the road closure on Hwy 131, please be assured that runners and cars will have a path. Cars can pass with an automatic flagging system (one lane open), and runners will have a pathway outlined by cones. I will take photos later this week and share so no one should be confused. I thought 2025 was the year there may not be any road drama, but sure enough this popped up, though, minimally affecting race logistics.

Solo runners if you require a shuttle  please fill out this online form to reserve a spot on this shuttle. There is a 6:30 AM shuttle and and 7:30 AM shuttle. The 6:30 AM shuttle will serve as the 7:30 and 8:00 AM start time shuttle. The 7:30 AM shuttle serves at the 9:00 AM start time shuttle.  I will contact all shuttle participants on Wednesday evening via e-mail outlining specific shuttle details.

Please be aware that the 7:30 AM start time is for walkers and solo runners that expect to take up to six hours to walk/run. Our volunteer network has people in key spots at key times. We’ve had runners slip into this start time and then they are running through exchange zones without volunteers in place. This is a safety concern, and not allowed. Thank you for your cooperation.

The finish line is at the entrance of the beach this year at Pacific City on Hungry Harbor Lane. It’s just 50 yards further than in the past. We will adjust start line to make up for this difference in distance.

Please check our latest update to the race roster including your start times. You have until Wed. evening to notify us of a change of start time. We cannot accommodate changes to your start time after that time. If we do not have a start time for you, we will assume you are starting at 9am. Check this link for the latest race roster. (as of 9 AM on Sunday morning 2.16.25).  Please do not change start time on the day of the race, this will interfere with results!

Because of the variability of finish times, we will not be having an awards ceremony. Teams will be awarded custom made 3 Cape Relay Medals as they cross the finish line.     Water and Gatorade will be available at the finish line as well as all exchange zones.     Finish times will be posted on our website by late Saturday night.

We take team photos at the finish line and as many photos during the race as possible  We’ll publish those to our website within the following week.

We encourage team captains/team to pick up packets and shirts from 5:30 to 7:30 pm Feb. 21st in the main foyer of Tillamook High School.  We are available at this time to personally answer any questions you may have about the race (we are available anytime via e-mail at pat@ultimookrace.com). We can only guarantee free shirts for those teams who registered by Feb. 15th.

Team captains (or the team member picking up the packet) are required to sign the Safety and Traffic Agreement at packet pickup time. Please share this information with all your team members. Everyone should review our traffic and safety plan. Each individual runner/walker is required to fill out their medical information on the back of their bib. This is necessary in case there is any need for medical attention.

For those teams unable to pick up your packet on Friday evening, we will be at the start line and available from 7-8:30 am. We will not be accepting any new registrations at this time. 15 minutes prior to your start time, we’ll have a brief pre-race meeting. Immediately after this meeting, we encourage your shuttle car to leave to the first exchange. This will alleviate a mad dash after the start of the race.

Traffic can use the new route direct route to Oceanside, while runners will follow the old route, cut off to traffic after 1 mile into the race.     For walking teams, the pre-race meeting will be at 7:15 am. For 8 am starting teams, the pre-race meeting will be held at 7:45 am. We will document walking and 8 am starting teams at the start line and make time adjustments at the finish line to those respective teams.    Start times will correspond to satellite time. You will start race time at 9 am, 7:30 am, or 8 am if you leave your 1st runner behind to start.

The starting line is at the intersection of Bayocean Rd. NW and Bayshore Drive adjacent to Cape Meares Lake. Here is a google pin of the start location. There is limited parking along the lake.  You may also park along the shoulder of the road that heads out to Cape Mears county park on the spit just NE of the starting line. There should only be one vehicle per team. Park all other vehicles at Tillamook High School and use only one team vehicle along the course. Please do not park on the street. We will have 2 volunteers in orange vests helping with traffic near the start. Do not expect to park right close to the start. Park heading out to Cape Meares Spit and get your warm up in.

Please do not study maps online the morning of the race on the way out to the start. Likely you will not have internet connection and then you may get lost. I will not be answering my phone to give directions on Saturday morning. Please do your homework on Friday evening.     Park in the direction that you’ll be pulling out (toward exchange #1, see below). After the pre-race meeting we encourage team members not starting to leave early and relaxed toward exchange #1. If you park headed the wrong direction, it is very difficult to get turned around when everyone else is trying to go the opposite direction.

We encourage teams to drive the course prior to race, hopefully the night before. You may underestimate the amount of time required to make this trip if you try to do it the morning of the race. We will be starting promptly at 9am using satellite time. That way even if you’re not there for the start, you’ll know the race running time. Please familiarize yourself with the course and each respective leg, especially since leg 2, 3, 4, and 5 have all been slight altered from previous years in order to utilize safer exchange zone sites.

Mile marks will be painted on the left side of the road in bright white paint.     There will be at least two volunteers at each exchange zone. Make your exchange (i.e. touch) between the two cones at each exchange. The volunteers will be able to give you advice on where to park and advice on the closest bathroom at these zones. Water and Gatorade will be available at each exchange zone.

If you’re running through the exchange, you do not need to worry about going through any cones, etc. Exchange zones and water stations in most cases will be located on the right side of the road since that is where the space is located. Since you’ll be running on the left side of the road, please be careful crossing over into the exchange zones/water stations.

For those 2 person teams who want to run exactly a ½ marathon, the 13.1 mile mark is just past the entrance to the Cape Lookout State Park and will be marked with an orange cone and a white sandwich board.     Please remember that traffic will not be stopped for this event and have the right away. Please run on the left side of the road and on the shoulder if possible. There are many hills, sharp corners, and blind spots so please be very careful. We will have signs warning cars of runners on the roadway, but it only takes one crazy driver to cause a big problem. The use of headphones is prohibited. You cannot hear a car coming behind you with music playing in your ears. Again, please review our safety and traffic plan and share them with all your teammates.

If you’re a solo runner and need a ride to the start line, we have arranged a shuttle from Whalen Island to the start line.  We will be leaving promptly at 7:30am.  Please fill out this online form to reserve a spot on this shuttle. Space is limited. We will have a bag drop at the check-in table at the start line and your bag will be waiting for you at the finish line.

We will not leave anyone on the course that starts at 7:30am, but if you start at 9am and take longer than 7 hours, our timing crew will be leaving at 4pm.     Please let us know if you have any questions. We appreciate your feedback, good or bad. And most of all lets have fun, despite any circumstances. It is very fulfilling to work together as a team to accomplish a challenging task. I wish you the best of luck.

Again, please e-mail me at patrick@ultimookrace.com with any questions you might have or if necessary call my cell phone at 503.812.9190. A list of phone numbers to call with problems during the race will be provided at check in time.     I will send another e-mail Thursday evening with a few more race details that will develop over the next few days.

Sincerely,  Patrick Zweifel, 3 Capes Relay race director.  Ultimook non-profit