Happy Girls Run Bend Half Marathon

The Happy Girls series has run in Central Oregon for well over a decade, with Bend opening the season and Sisters and Spokane following. Entry is open to women only, and the tone is closer to a group outing with teams and costumes than a competitive field, though the course itself is honest.

Starting at Riverbend Park, the route heads south along the Deschutes for the first mile and a half, crosses the river, and runs north past Farewell Bend and Miller's Landing. A turnaround near mile 8 sends runners back, with a second crossing around mile 11. The 10-foot-wide trail alternates pavers, packed dirt, and paved path.

Early May in Bend sits at about 3,600 feet, so mornings often start in the 30s or 40s and can warm 20 degrees by the finish. Snow, rain, and full sun are all plausible on the same weekend, and the high desert air is dry enough to hide fluid loss.