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🎤 Interview with Eric Lerude, Founder of the Reno-Tahoe Odyssey

Weekly newsletter: group runs in North Lake Tahoe, Sky Tavern mountain bike clinics, and more...

Author

Ryan Evans
May 22, 2025

The goal of ActiveRenoTahoe is to elevate the endurance community in Reno, Lake Tahoe, and beyond. Help us grow! Please forward this week’s newsletter to your active friends and follow us on social media.

May 22 Newsletter

🎤 Interview with Eric Lerude, Founder of the Reno-Tahoe Odyssey

The Reno-Tahoe Odyssey kicks off next Friday. In last week’s newsletter, we shared some fun facts about the RTO. This week, we had a chance to chat with Eric Lerude, the founder of the Reno-Tahoe Odyssey and learn more about this iconic event.

ActiveRenoTahoe: The first Reno-Tahoe Odyssey took place in 2005, how did you come up with the idea for the event?

Eric Lerude: In August 2003, I ran the Hood To Coast Relay for the first time. That was my first relay run. I enjoyed the experience so much that when I got home from that event I met with my wife Stephanie and told her that I knew what I wanted to do next:  create a similar relay run in the Reno-Tahoe region. She agreed that I should do it. And I was on my way.  

ART: What were the biggest challenges and obstacles in the early years of the event?

EL: So many. One was setting up a course that would showcase the Reno-Tahoe region and be scenic and challenging but also fair and safe. Another was getting approvals from every one of the large number of jurisdictions and property owners along the course. Then convincing enough local and visiting runners to take a chance on participating in such an unusual event that required such a big commitment by teams of runners to complete.  Another was putting together a team of people, mostly volunteers including many family members and friends, to produce the event.  

ART: When you started the race did you envision it would grow to over 250+ teams and be such a big part of the Reno-Tahoe endurance community?

EL: When we started the RTO, we knew how many teams the Hood To Coast Relay attracted. We figured we’d get up into the hundreds at some point and it didn’t take too long to get to a number that we thought made sense for many reasons. It is very gratifying to know that the event has become a big part of the local endurance community and that so many runners and volunteers participate every year.  It is so cool to see so many 178 decals on vehicles in the Truckee Meadows and to see so many runners wearing their RTO swag year around.  

Eric Lerude at the 2018 Reno-Tahoe Odyssey. 📷️ by the RGJ

ART: Do you have a specific memory that stands out from your time as race director?

EL: So many great memories.  One would be Martha Mahaffey, one of our Hall of Fame volunteers who managed the Homewood Mountain Resort exchange point for so many years, calling out with such style the team numbers and names of approaching runners as hundreds of people cheered for her and the action there.  Another would be observing runners running along the spine of land between Emerald Bay and Cascade Lake as the sun was setting behind the Sierra Nevada mountains towering over Emerald Bay.  Also watching the steady trail of runners with their head lamps bouncing up and down and sideways as the runners descended Kingsbury Grade to the exchange at the bottom of the mountain there.  Another would be seeing the runners sprint into the heart of Virginia City having just completed one of the toughest climbs on the course from Silver City through Gold Hill.  

ART: Reno Running Company Races acquired the event from you in 2023. Now that you are no longer directing the race have you run it yet?

EL: I have not yet run in the RTO. I’m planning to do so in 2026.

Final thoughts: Although Eric Lerude is no longer in charge of the RTO, he built an amazing endurance event for our community. It has positively impacted thousands of runners, and we look forward to continuing to see it be successful under the ownership of Reno Running Company Races.

🚵‍♀️ Mountain Bike Skills Clinic at Sky Tavern

Are you new to mountain biking or looking to improve? You should definitely check out the clinics offered by Sky Tavern this summer. The Riders in the Sky mountain bike clinics are led by professional coaches, and they are offering clinics for women, youth (ages 8 - 13), and open. The clinics start in early June and go through mid-August. Click here for the schedule.

⛰️ Summer Group Runs in North Lake Tahoe

Alpenglow Sports, a staple in the Tahoe City (and beyond) endurance community, is kicking off their running club for the 2025 season. Stef Pyatt from Alpenglow Sports said:

The Alpenglow Sports Mountain Running Club (AGMRC) is an inclusive group of runners of all experience levels, with the ultimate goal of enjoying the incredible wilderness of Tahoe and Truckee while building a strong trail running community. Participants can expect weekly, zero-drop runs, of varying distances and routes, as well as one to two demos per month. For the 2025 season specifically, runs will take place on Wednesdays with bonus Saturday runs each month. All routes are available on the group’s Strava page in advance of the runs for preparation, and/or inspiration in case you can’t make the group session. 

Here’s the calendar for the June runs. Be on the lookout for the July and August schedule:

  • Wednesday, June 4th, 7AM — Season Kickoff with Coffee and Donuts; Kings Beach Loop. 

  • Saturday, June 7th, 7AM — Ward to Waterfalls.

  • Wednesday, June 11th, 7AM — Arc'teryx Demo; Olympic Valley Loop. 

  • Saturday, June 14th, 7AM — Judah Loop.

  • Thursday, June 19th, 530PM — Broken Arrow Training Run at Palisades with Salomon and Donner Party Mountain Runners. Opportunity to demo the S/Lab Ultra Glide, Genesis, and Aero Glide Gravel. There will be a giveaway for a pair of Salomon running shoes. 

  • Wednesday, June 25th, 7AM — Bunker to Ocelot Loop.

  • Saturday, June 28th, 7AM — Ellis Peak.

✅ ICYMI - Epic FKTs in RenoTahoe

On Tuesday, Bri Jaskot, from High Desert Endurance, wrote an article about some epic FKTs in our region. Check it out here.

⏱️ Upcoming Races in Reno / Lake Tahoe for May, June, and July

Race season is upon us! Our calendar is jammed packed with great endurance events in our community. Please let us know if we are missing any races.

May Races
June Races
July Races

Are we missing a race? Let us know!

New events added since last newsletter.

🏃‍♂️ 🏃‍♀️🏃 Weekly Group Runs in Reno / Lake Tahoe

There are a variety of group runs offered each week in RenoTahoe. Here are this week’s group runs. Please be sure to double check each group’s website/social media for locations, time, and/or last minute changes.

Thursday, May 22

Friday, May 23

Saturday, May 24

Sunday, May 25

Monday, May 26

  • ❌ 

Tuesday, May 27

Wednesday, May 28

Are we missing a group run? Let us know!

Until next time, stay active RenoTahoe!