Jackass Half Marathon & 5k tomorrow!

KELLOGG — Nearly doubling the amount of participation the event had last year, the Jackass Half Marathon & 5k is set to have over 600 participants take to the trail of the Coeur d'Alene's tomorrow morning.

Hosted by the Silver Valley Chamber of Commerce, President Tara Lodi explained that she is excited to get the second event underway for so many people.

"It's pretty cool for our little area to have that many people interested in coming here just to do this!"

Slated to begin under the freeway near the 6th Street Bridge in Wallace, racers will have the option to start anytime between 7:30 and 8:30 p.m. to have their times recorded. With the exception to two detours into Big Creek and Kellogg at the end, participants will stick to the famous Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes for most of the 13.1 miles (or 5K).

This staggered start option is just one of a few measures implemented by organizers this year with COVID-19 in mind. On top of capping the race at 600 participants, masking will be recommended and aid stations along the route will be able to provide hand sanitizer.

"It's an outdoor race!" Lodi said. "It's easy to implement a COVID mitigation plan."

One big addition to this year's event is transportation services for participants.

"This year we have a trolley get people back to their car," Lodi explained. "That's one thing that a lot of racers said last year, 'it would have been nice to have a ride back to the car,' so they spoke and we listened!"

Those looking to utilize the buses are asked to park in the Silver Mountain Resort parking lot, then you will taken to the starting line in Wallace. A trolley will also be available at the finish line in Uptown Kellogg near Radio Brewing from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The award ceremony will be held in the same place at 4 p.m.

Radio will be hosting an afterparty with live music where participants can rehydrate after the long run. The trolley will also cater to the afterparty crowd and be available from 3:30 to 9-10 p.m.

In addition to an impressive participation turnout, over 100 volunteers are registered to help hold the event as well. From crossing guards to aid station attendants, everyone seems to be lending a hand.

"People love showing up to volunteer for this event!" Lodi said.

With the SVCC being limited in the number of events it could put on because of COVID, Lodi stresses that the marathon means a lot to the chamber and hopes to make it larger every year going forward.

"Every year, we'd like to make it a little bigger and better ... but we were still being COVID conscious."

For more information on the vent, visit https://www.silvervalleychamber.com/jackass-half-marathon.