About This Race
The Beast Of The Backroads offers a distinctive multi-sport weekend in the pineywood hills of East Texas, combining cycling events on Saturday with trail running events on Sunday. The running portion features three distances through the rolling terrain near Longview, including a unique rucking option that adds a military-style twist to the traditional trail running format. The race takes place on paths through East Texas pineyards, providing runners with a taste of the region's characteristic forest terrain. While the elevation profile appears relatively gentle based on available data, the piney woods setting offers natural single-track trails that wind through the characteristic landscape of East Texas. The event's community-focused atmosphere and variety of distance options make it accessible to runners of different experience levels. The Sunday running events complement the Saturday cycling races, creating a weekend celebration of outdoor endurance sports. With its combination of traditional running distances and the distinctive ruck option, the Beast Of The Backroads provides an interesting alternative to conventional trail races in the Texas running calendar.
The running courses wind through the pineywood hills surrounding Longview, Texas, utilizing a network of paths through the characteristic East Texas forest landscape. Based on the available data, the terrain is described as 100% paths, suggesting single-track or maintained trail surfaces rather than fire roads or pavement. The courses start and finish at the same location on Page Road, indicating a loop or out-and-back configuration through the piney woods terrain.
Notable Features
The Beast Of The Backroads stands out for its multi-sport weekend format and its inclusion of a rucking division alongside traditional running distances. The event takes place in the distinctive pineywood terrain of East Texas, offering runners a chance to experience this regional landscape. The race's integration with cycling events on Saturday creates a unique endurance sports festival atmosphere.