Trails Collective

Weekly Rundown | 01.08.21

In this week’s Trails Collective Rundown of what’s shaking in the regional trail world, we’ve got media notables, FKT’s of the week, events about to run, and registrations that are gonna cap out. Let’s get into it.

In the Media

CULTRA released Episode 110 with FKT international leader, Jason Hardrath. Jason Friedeman and the Pain Cave released Episode Episode 77 with 12:19 Hundred-Miler Taggart VanEtten. And Billy Yang released his newest and beautiful short film, ZACH | In Relentless Pursuit Of His Best: The Journey of Ultrarunner Zach Miller.

In this week’s TC Interviews Series, Ellie was live with Sassquad Trail Party Director and all around New Jersey Trails lynchpin, Kim Levinsky.

For all those who couldn’t or intentionally didn’t join us on New Year’s Eve, if you’re looking to get to the bottom of Kim’s title as Trail Party Director, you can find out in minute 39 of the episode where Eric Eagan presses her on the point.

FKT’s

FastestKnownTime.com released Podcast 118, their FKT’s Of the Year. One east coast gem made the top 5, Alyssa Godesky’s Adirondack 46 High Peaks, one which got both Sarah Keyes and my own FKT of the year in our region as announced on our New Year’s Eve Show. A truly incredible effort and mark.

MA

Iain Ridgway, 2h 16m for the 12 mile Norwottuck Rail Trail, an opening mark for this new route.

Andy Reagan, 8h 49m for the 64 mile Circum Quabbin, the new baseline but also fastest to date of any division by 4 minutes.

MD

Chris McGough, 3h 50m for a men’s unsupported mark on the 50km Rock Creek Trail, a route that’s gotten substantial action the back end of this year. Chris’s time crushes the prior mark by 80 minutes.

Nate Hanley, 6h 48m for the 37.5 mile north to south Assateauge Island FKT. Always cool that the route needs to commence with a boat to the start point.

ME

Xander Keiter and Josh Lombardo, 1h 13m for the 10.3 mile West Side Trail which runs ravines, rocky bluffs, and vistas to Casco Bay and the Royal River estuary. Their time lowers the Unsupported male mark but a slim 26 seconds….that was tight!

NH

Ryan Mitchell, 18h 29m for the 45 mile White Mountain Hut Traverse, bringing with it an elevation gain of 16,000 feet. This route is one with deep mountain history that Sarah Keyes tipped me off to in her vote for FKT of the year last week. Ryan’s mark is a baseline for an Unsupported Male Winter Standard Traverse.  

PA

Matthew Matta, 5h 18m for a baseline unsupported male mark on the 28 mile Northwest Lancaster County River Trail

Aaron Keckley, 1h 49m for the 12 mile Bear Run Nature Reserve Black Loop, one brushing the Youghiogheny River in southwestern PA, an beautiful area which I spent summers at camp, and a river we’d be on annually in rafts or kayaks.

David Kennedy, 3h 8m for the 22 mile Wissahickon Four Corners loop, lowering the prior Male unsupported mark from July by 10 minutes.

VA

Rodrigo Vellon, 4h 26m for the 36 mile Mount Vernon Trail Out & Back configuration, a new baseline for the men’s Unsupported Category, 18 minutes off of Wardian’s Supported mark from April. That’s cooking, nice work Rodrigo.

Multi-State

Jeremy Ardanuy, 5h 33m for the 47 mile full version of the York County Heritage Trail and Northern Central Rail Trail. Also a flying time and route.

Upcoming Events

Sunday, January 10, 2021

Valley Trail Series, Winter Race #3. https://valleytrailseries.com/ Offering 4, 6 and 12 mile distances over diverse including sometimes technical trails based at the Alpine Scout Camp in Alpine, NJ. Elevation gain for the 6 mile is 700’, with 1400 for the 12 mile. Registration live through January 7 at https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=78161

January 16^th:

Sassquad Trail Running’s Frosty Fat Sass, 3.1 miles, 3hr and 6hr runs based at South Mountain Reservation in West Orange, NJ. The events all make us of a scenic 3.1 mile loop. A great event for those who like winter, or those who dislike winter and need an excuse to get out during winter. To be seen whether it’ll be able to run, but all proceeds to benefit the South Mountain Conservancy and thus a good one to consider. https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=80681

January 31, 2021

Naked Nick 25k / 50k, running at Blue Marsh in Leesport, PA, another gem put on the great community which is Uber Endurance Sports. Registration capped some time ago, but check it out in case they get COVID cancellations.  http://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=77795

Valley Trail Series, Winter Race #4. https://valleytrailseries.com/ Offering 4, 6 and 12 mile distances over diverse including sometimes technical trails based at the Alpine Scout Camp. Elevation gain for the 6 mile is 700’, with 1400 for the 12 mile. Registration open through January 27^th at https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=78181

Registrations Opening

Open Now (and at risk of capping out soon):

Runamuck 50k in Brownsville, VT – April 4th

Split into a sold-out Saturday 50k, and 57%-full Sunday 50k running predominately over hilly dirt roads.

https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=77758

The Keystone Backyard Ultra, Slatington, PA – May 22^nd

PA’s first backyard ultra, with a 4.1 mile beautiful trail course that challenges you with 400’ of elevation gain per loop. It’s 95% full

English’s Ridge Rumble, Fayetteville, NY – May 8^th

This 10 miler, one of 3 distances on the day, uses a 10.3 mile loop in Green Lakes State Park, is 74% Full

Breakneck Point Trail Runs, Beacon, NY – May 8^th

Both the Half and Full Marathons are 69% Full.

https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=80594

C&O Canal 100 Mile in Knoxville, MD – April 24

A looping course run entirely on the C&O Canal Towpath running between Antietam and Brunswick, Maryland. An entirely flat course for those into that sort of thing. 64% Full

https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=78561

One benefitting the Meeks Mountain Trail Alliance in Hurricane, West Virginia, a 5k and Half Marathon called the Crush Run Half, running Saturday, February 13^th.

https://runsignup.com/Race/WV/Hurricane/MMTACrushRun

Registration’s Open (but not at risk of capping out)

The Squirrelly Tail Twail Wun, a ½ marathon personally vouched for by Trail Sister Grayce Langheine, running in Lewisberry, PA on Sunday, February 14^th. It’s a semi-flat course with short runnable climbs on the trails around Gifford Pinchot Lake.

Registration’s Opening Soon

January 15^th

Hills Creek Endurance Challenge 3h/6h/12h set for May 8^th in Wellsboro, PA. It features a mostly single-track 3.1 mile loop with 200’ of elevation gain around Hills Creek Lake https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=81620

The View 25k set to run November 7^th in Hyner PA. An additional option to give runners a fall-opportunity to hit the Hyner Trails and with around 3,000’ of elevation gain. https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=81223

February 1st

Twisted Branch Trail Run 100k, set for August 21 in Naples, NY. A runner favorite and Western States Qualifier, it fills in a hurry, and with rolls from 2020, guessing all the quicker. A classic point to point course run in the Finger Lakes of western NY, this is a great destination event. https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=80862

Blue 2 Blue Challenge 50k slated for September 25^th in New Haven, CT. Offering some of CT’s most technical and gnarly trails, first with the Regicides, then the Quinnipiac Trail, this is a true #BeastCoast event. https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=80368