Up a little earlier than normal because I actually fell asleep early last night for a change. Going to head for the gym if I can get some energy to do so. Still feeling run down from being sick. I'll see how the lifting goes and maybe put in some time on the TM. Yesterday's run was slow. Partly because I took it easy, partly because I wasn't feeling strong and partly because two of my distant neighbors were out walking with their dogs. Used to be able to stop and chat with them but several years ago they got dogs that are flat out nasty to deal with so now that's about impossible. I seen they were ahead of me so I took an extended walk break simply so I didn't have to deal with the dogs .
QOTD: How is the race scene in your area?
Over the past two years or so there have been quite a few changes in northern PA.
The Megatransect was one of the first in the area and that went by the wayside but was replaced by the Boulder Beast in the same area. The RD of BOulder Beast had also been putting on the Frozen Snot which is run in January. This year he was going to cancel it due to scheduling conflicts with his job apparently but someone else stepped in at the last moment and it went off and looked like there was good attendance.
Greenwood furnace, which is in the State College area, was a small race in early May and is now selling out and they now added a run in January or at least are promoting it more. Other races like Worlds End Ultra in the spring and Eagleton Camp 25/50k have started up with Worlds End also adding a fall 1/2.
Eastern States is not really new news as it's been up and going now for three years, but this year they are not having Call of The Wilds at the same time. Guess it's too hard for the RD to put on such a tough race on the same day as the 100 miler. That has been shortened to 25k and moved to the fall with a new 5k starter trail race that is designed for beginners.
Farther to the east is a new 50/100k I believe called the Boulder Dash. I haven't heard too much about how that made out this past year which I think was their first year. There are also a bunch of other little ones around that are popping up.
One race that has fallen by the wayside is the Dam full course. That was run on the same day as the Dam half and was a great course. Not real technical, it was great for a beginner looking to get in a trail marathon. For some reason they would get 350 runners for the 1/2 and 50 for the full so they cancelled the full. I probably won't run the half again but would have run the full.
One of the problems that now seems to be raising it's head is there are a lot of races on the same days. This year Rothrock will be on the same day as Worlds End Ultra so it will be interesting to see how attendance is at Rothrock.
Wow, that ended up being long.
I plan on 6.5 after work. I counted 2 for yesterday because of all the walking I did for the event at the grand opening of our newest campus. I didn't mind walking. It kept me outside all day.
QOTD: It is not very active. I think I may be the only runner in a 25 mile radius of my house. I know I am the only trail runner. We have quite a few trail races in the state, but we only have two 100's, Cajun Coyote and Red Dirt. This was the first year of Red Dirt, and I think it went pretty well. Red Dirt is a 3 loop 100, which is sort of rare. Maybe I will run it next year.
LB2
20.3 miles yesterday on a mix of trails and road. It was up to 45° which is very nice for this time of year.
QOTD I would say central Pennsylvania is very active for trail races. Pretzel city sports and pagoda pacers put on a lot of races, and lots of smaller groups put some on.
Tim
3-4 tempo miles at lunch.
Ended up staying in last night. DW cooked and watched some saved TV shows. Not very romantic, but worked just fine.
QOTD: This area is loaded - Here are the ones I can think of:
Sole Challenge 48/24/12/6 Hour Race
Ironmaster's Challenge 50k (trail)
Buck Ridge Burn 13.1 (trail)
Twisted Turkey Trail Tussle 10 Miler (trail)
American Odyssey 200 Mile Relay (starts in Gettysburg)
Gettysburg Battlefield Marathon
Gettysburg North-South Marathom
Gettysburg Blue-Gray Half Marathon
Multiple 5 and 10 K's
Multiple MTB races
2 Adventure Races all take place in Michaux Forrest.
“Paralysis-to-50k” training plan is underway!
What are you training for? Looks like you're getting in some good mileage.
Morning folks. Got in 5 yesterday before sunset (and 'deer management activity' closed the park). A lot of newly downed trees and some chainsaw activity. These wind storms this month have been taking their toll. Will be meeting a friend at lunch for another 5 miles.
qotd: Lots of runners here= lots of racing. Trail races have definitely picked up the last few years. Too many to list.
running under the BigSky
Got in some tough hill repeats yesterday (1300' in a mile); hadn't done them in awhile and felt it
5-ish miles planned for this evening
qotd: in Helena proper only one trail race of any distance- 30k in May; they do have a series of short races 3-7 miles throughout the summer
close to Helena we have the Elkhorn race 23k, 50k and 50 miles
we have enough trails we could host a bunch more, but probably enough work that it's not overly appealing
in Missoula they are much more active with races, I usually hit a couple a year there, but they sell out very quickly- have to be on top of it
2023 goal 2023 miles √
2022 goal- 2022 miles √
2021 goal- 2021 miles √
Going to run this afternoon. Work got in the way this morning.
qotd 20 years ago there were five must run races a year. Now there is a race every weekend sometimes 3 races the same day.
I never drive more than 20 miles to a race anymore. I never pre-register. If the race is full I hand out water.
Le professeur de trail
Holding on to my streak but barely. My back is healing up (I think) and I am getting in one mile runs the last few days.
Muppy - I was going to ask the same as AT - I thought you said you would be running BluesCruise this year but that is not until October. Anything before then or you just enjoy those 20 milers??
QOTD: DD - you forgot about Montour 24. I read that the 24 hour already sold out. I have nothing more to add since the other PA folks already hit the races. Lots within a 2.5 hour radius here. I would love to see a trail race or two local though. We have some good trails but we need someone to take up the task of directing. I had thought about it but no way I have time for that. There used to be a FA race every March called the Buzzards Marathon. It got dissolved because the DCNR caught wind of it and "shut it down". It ran for a while up until 2012 I think. But those trails (Stoney Valley, Stoney Creek area) are begging for a 50k.
Have a great day!
My favorite day of the week is RUNday
I'll do 5 miles after work today. It's like a Monday today since I was away, catching up on e-mails is painful.
qotd: quite a few trail runs in the Houston/Austin areas. We have two outfits, Tejas Trails and Trail Racing Over Texas that each put on about 20 trail races throughout the year. Most of the races offer multi distances from 10k to 50 miles, and some include 100 milers (Rocky Raccoon, Brazos Bend, etc.). Then there are some independent runs in the state as well. Some of the runs, whether from the big outfits or the independents, go back a pretty long way, Cross Timbers 50 miler up along Lake Texoma will be having its 36th edition next weekend.
2/17/24 - Forgotten Florida 100 Mile, Christmas, FL
QOTD: DD - you forgot about Montour 24. I read that the 24 hour already sold out. I have nothing more to add since the other PA folks already hit the races. Lots within a 2.5 hour radius here. I would love to see a trail race or two local though. We have some good trails but we need someone to take up the task of directing. I had thought about it but no way I have time for that. There used to be a FA race every March called the Buzzards Marathon. It got dissolved because the DCNR caught wind of it and "shut it down". It ran for a while up until 2012 I think. But those trails (Stoney Valley, Stoney Creek area) are begging for a 50k. Have a great day!
Thanks for adding that one in Jamie. I realized I forgot after I had posted, and yea that sold out quick this year. The 6 hour also sold out already and I think both 12 hour races are starting to get up there in numbers as well. Last year the same RD had put on a race in the spring at the Montour Preserve. That was a nice flat course with three different distances. I think it was 7.5, 15 and 30k. He's not having it this year and I suspect that it's because Talen energy which owns the area is giving recreation users of that area and the lake a bunch of problems, but I could be wrong. When PPL owned it they were nice to work with. Talen is not a good neighbor anywhere they are at and I quit buying my electricity from them.
I had heard about the Buzzards Marathon and knew they didn't have it anymore. Was it the DCNR that gave them problems or the Game Commission? I know there for awhile running on the Game Lands was a rather contentious subject.
The story goes that it was the runner's after party that was the issue - food, beer, etc. I hardly believe that trail runners left the parking area a mess. It was a very low key "non-event" starting in the late 90's I believe. But it seems with social media, more comments were made about it, more runners went out to it. The DCNR threatened to fine the "RD". He saw the threats (in 2012) and he pulled the plug. The funny thing is, there were probably 15-20 of us that still showed up that second Sunday in March of 2012 to run it. The DCNR was chasing people all over the trails that day. But since we were spread out across the miles of trails, there was nothing they could do. It was such a nice day - almost spring like - that many others who were just out for a hike or whatever were out too.
I think it was driven by the DCNR not the game commission unless they had been complaining to the DCNR. They were upset that the "RD" never bothered to seek a permit which you need for groups of 10 or more.
I wonder if the DCNR would actually issue a permit to run a race up there? Would be cool. There are some nice hills in there.
I had saw a map of the trails they used and it looked like a nice course. Something I was interested in back then.
Don Halke is having his fat ass 50K in Perry County toward the end of March and i'm also thinking of doing the Dirty German 50 K the end of May.
Are we there, yet?
Those are my primary sources for trail races in the area. The only others I can think of offhand are the ulberendurance races (I think Dirty German may be one) and the DelCo RR Tyler Arboretum 10K Trail Run. Lots of 5Ks, a few 8Ks and 10Ks locally and Philly has their premier races: Broad Street, RnR Philly HM (formerly PDR), and Philly Marathon.
2024 Races:
03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles
05/11 - D3 50K 05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour
06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.