When Brady Mordhorst considered the prospect of taking over as the Race
Director of the Huckleberry Half Marathon he ran the course, set within the
natural beauty of Mount Hood on the Salmon River Road, Fairway Ave. and
Welches Road. After that, he was sold.

“Everything looks different when you’re in your shoes on the road, as opposed
to in a car,” said Mordhorst, who noted he was familiar with the area from

golfing at the Mt. Hood Oregon Resort. “As soon as I ran the course, I knew it
was something special.”

The race, held this year on Saturday, Aug. 17, is independently operated and
got its start in 2013, although one year since then it was not held. Three

options are available; the half marathon, a ten-kilometer route and a five-
kilometer route.

Mordhorst, who has a career organizing events and directs the race with his
wife, noted the marathon relies on a large number of volunteers from the
Mountain and Sandy, including up to 60 total people who take part in the race
day.

“It’s a big undertaking,” he said.

With that in mind, Mordhorst added he’s put a lot of effort into getting the
community involved, including giving local nonprofits a chance to earn some
money by providing volunteers for the event.

“It’s exciting to see this run produce fruit for the local community,” he said.
Mordhorst also noted that racers can take advantage of a hotel package,
where staying at one of a number of affiliated lodging providers allows a $20
registration for any distance (registration fees after Aug. 1 for the race are
$60 for the five-kilometer, $73 for the ten-kilometer and $79 for the half
marathon). The race will be capped at 600 racers.

Mordhorst reported that early returns have 50 rooms booked, which also
means that a number of people will visit the Mountain as friends and family
also often make the trip. He expects approximately 800 people to be at the
event, with more than 60 percent of the runners travelling from more than 60
miles away.

“People are using it as a weekend getaway,” Mordhorst said.
The race is sponsored by Cole Pritchard of Country Financial in Sandy and is
also supported by a grant from Oregon’s Mt. Hood Territory.
“It’s really fun when local businesses latch on to something like this,”
Mordhorst said.

For more information or to register, visit www.huckleberryhalfmarathon.com.