Washington · Renton

Pigtails Challenge

Founded in 2012 by Van Phan as the "half" of her personal 200-mile challenge, the Pigtails Challenge runs 10 laps of a 9.4-mile crushed-gravel double-track loop around the Lake Youngs Watershed — plus a 6-mile opener to reach 100 miles. Each loop climbs 900 feet of rolling terrain; nothing is technical, but the 9,000 feet cumulative is deliberate. The 34-hour cutoff and crew access every 9.4 miles suit first-timers; the same course extends to 150 and 200 miles for those who continue. NW Endurance Events now directs, preserving the low-key party-atmosphere tradition Van Phan established.