Eatonville XC Runners Shine at Ragnar Relay PNW Passage

The Eatonville Cruiser cross country team took on a challenge unlike any other this past weekend, joining thousands of runners from across the region in the Ragnar Relay Pacific Northwest Passage, a grueling 200-mile, two-day team relay spanning from Blaine to Whidbey Island.

The Eatonville team pose in front of the finish line at the Ragnar Relay race. The team finished in the top 10 out of 144 teams in their division. Photo Geoff Olson

The Eatonville squad, led by head coach Geoff Olson, included seven Eatonville High School runners, along with one runner each from Rogers High School and Battle Ground High School, plus a family friend and two coaches — Olson and Jessica Morrish. The 12-member team navigated the demanding terrain and heat to place an impressive 28th overall out of 273 teams, 22nd in the standard division, and 10th in the mixed open standard division.

The journey to Ragnar began long before the first leg was run. To cover race entry fees and travel costs, the team chopped and sold firewood, putting in hours of hard labor to make the trip possible.

“All twelve of us ran three legs each,” Olson said. “Some legs were short and fast, others long and hilly, but every runner pushed through. It’s pretty impressive how well we did considering it was in the high 80s during the day — except at night when it dropped to a really cold 65.”

The Ragnar Northwest Passage Relay is known for its breathtaking yet punishing course that winds through Deception Pass, Anacortes, and alongside the Puget Sound, with views of both the Cascade and Olympic Mountains. Teams of 12 take turns running 36 total legs, split across two vans, with each runner covering three legs totaling between 8 and 22 miles.

The Eatonville group clocked a final time of 25 hours, 57 minutes and 19 seconds, navigating rolling hills, tight exchanges, sleep deprivation, and punishing temperatures.

“We had the best drivers in the whole race — hands down,” Olson said, giving special credit to Morrish and Peter Lowe, who coordinated van support and logistics. “They were a huge part of our success.”

The race, part athletic feat and part road trip adventure, also had runners participating in a festival-like atmosphere, with decorated vans, team cheers, and glowing night runs across landmarks like Deception Pass.

With a top-10 divisional finish and stories to last a lifetime, plus the satisfaction of earning their way there, the Eatonville runners proved that even in the face of heat, hills, and exhaustion, the Cruiser spirit runs strong.