Slower than you
I try to follow a rule of "it should take longer to run the race than to get to the race".
My thoughts exactly! And it's probably another reason I don't care that much if I run a really slow 10K on the trails!
"Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man" - The Dude
Upcoming races: AthHalf: 10/20
Ultra Cowboy
The CA races seem to usually have a 5-7 mile race option.
I think the Obstacle race category is more appealing to folks who want a short distance challenge. You don't have to neccesarily have a trail system to do one of those.
Our Trail Half marathon offers a 4 mile option that turns around on the gravel path we take to get to single track. It appeals to families and couch to 5k types. I think that the Majority of entrants in a 5k distance (with cross-coiuntry runners being the exception and minority) are intimidated by a single track trail RUN. They might HIKE it but won't enter a run.
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Pace Prophet
We have lots of shorter trail races here (Durango CO) - and perhaps oddly there are few ultras in my neck of the woods. (Our local ultra just restarted this year after a hiatus, although there is a 25K option, and there are two more about an hour east of here.)
This past year, I ran trail 5K, 14.75M, 17.1M, and 25K races. There were also two ~10K races I didn't run.
Until funding ran out, there was a trail 5K/10K series here with three races each year, each with options for 5K, 10K and 1 mile.
I have to say, the trail 5K was one of the most fun courses I've been on. It was on trails that were set up for mountain biking, so lots of dips and swoops and curves and zigzags, up and down and back up again.
We do not have a lot of either
There is an 8-10 race series around the state that has short(5kish) and long(1kis) options
Maybe 1/2 of the ultras offer a 10k and 1/2M
But again not a lot of either
Long dead ... But my stench lingers !
We do not have a lot of either There is an 8-10 race series around the state that has short(5kish) and long(1kis) options Maybe 1/2 of the ultras offer a 10k and 1/2M But again not a lot of either
Hey Dopple, we have lots of shorter races in our state. Heck just in Dane co. we have that many. Indian Lake. Elver, Blackhawk, Donald, Blue Mounds, all have short events plus there is a 5k week night race series that is put on at Badger Prairie and Token Creek. I know things are lean in the Fox River valley but trail running is alive and well thruout the rest of the state.
If shorter events interest you, we have plenty.
There are many trail 15k's in my local area (Reading, PA) and a few shorter distances as well. I like to run some of these from time to time as it's a whole different feeling and experience running tempo effort on the trails as opposed to just slogging about at ultra effort. One could say in my vicinity the shorter trail races are more prevalent than ultras.
In dog beers, I've only had one.
Did a quick check for Wi. on the Running in the USA site. There are 68 trail races listed and some of those are ultras of course but even a few of them have shorter options with them. There are also a few more I know of that aren't listed on that site. Plus right on our borders are some nice venues with more options such as Afton and Rockcut.
I guess that if shorter events are your wish they are out there. Just have to look or know how to look as they don't generate a whole lot of pub except in their immediate locale.
POst a link please
I am suprised - Unless you are counting Dances with Dirt Devil's Lake 10k, 1/2M, Marathon, 50k and 50 miler as 5 races instead of 1 race. Then 68 would make perfect sense.
Did a quick check for Wi. on the Running in the USA site. There are 68 trail races listed and some of those are ultras of course but even a few of them have shorter options with them. There are also a few more I know of that aren't listed on that site. Plus right on our borders are some nice venues with more options such as Afton and Rockcut. I guess that if shorter events are your wish they are out there. Just have to look or know how to look as they don't generate a whole lot of pub except in their immediate locale.
I guess I was able to re-create
More than I thought, but also some of the "Trails" are paved paths, gravel rail trails etc. But still a lot of short races on real trails
Refurbished Hip
DB, here's a few in Dane Co. or close to:
http://wisconsintrailruns.com/ (Has a spring and fall event)
http://www.friendsofindianlake.org/
http://donaldpark.org/welcome/?page_id=417
http://www.rockfordroadrunners.org/ (They have some good shorter stuff in the spring and then a 10K/25K/50K in the fall)
If you haven't run at Blue Mound State Park (first link), you should. The only problem is that it's typically the same day as Kettle Moraine.
Running is dumb.
Was trying to post another link but I'm failing. The site is Silent Sports. They have a good calendar of different type events for the Lake states. Sometimes different and new events get listed in there and nowhere else.
Need to relearn some basic computer skills for I am dumb.
Wandering Wally
Lots of shorter options in Michigan too. I haven't run a trail event longer than 1/2 marathon yet and have been having a blast.
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There are hardly any trail races in my area that are less than HM distance. And the shorter ones are extremely tough ones, with lots of boulders and technical trails, hardly runable, so no fun for a beginner. Must be a geographical thing, because there are many fairly runable, nice and short trails in Central PA which could be used for races.
If you don't have shorter trail races in your area, and don't want to travel, then just run for fun and enjoy the trails. Support in the form of aid stations for food and drink is not necessary on the shorter distances, so your runs should be manageable.
Run for fun.
I'd imagine there aren't ultras on the road because a. they don't present much of a challenge (unless it is badwater- then 130deg would qualify as a challene and b. road closures are extremely difficult to deal with. Even when you have a road marathon they start pulling people off the course quite early so they can reopen roads.
Around here I'm blessed with an insane amount of races. The company I love most, Brazen Racing, offers 5K--10K and 13.1 with every trail race- and sometimes they do an ultra, 12hour etc.
Happy race hunting!!
Andie