Trails Collective

Trails Collective Weekly Rundown | March 12, 2021

Below you’ll find the rundown of what shook out on the trails in the Northeast. We’ll give you the head’s up on events about to close, plug a voice from results from this past weekend, cue you in to events running this month, and take you out with a clip from the Conestoga Cowboy. Let’s dig in.

In Other Media

Running with Cameras put out a nice short film on a Pemi Loop traverse. Check it out here:

The UltraSignUp Hot List

Each week we’ll do a bit of legwork for you and let you know what events are about to cap out. Nothing like missing the window on an event you were really looking forward to, arriving late to a capped out party. Here’s what’s on this week’s warning track, and possibly closing out this weekend:

• Miocene Epic Endurance Challenge, running March 27^th in Lusby, MD is 98% full.
• English’s Ridge Rumble 10 capped and 20 miler, running April 17^th in Fayetteville, NY is 94% full respectively.
• Naked Bavarian 40 and 20 milers, slated as push-backs to merge with the Naked Prussian marathon and 50 are now all 93% Full.
• The Big Woods Half Marathon, slated to run on March 27^th in French Creek in Elverson PA are 92% Full.
• The Rattling Creek 10k, 25k, and 50k’s, slated for April 10^th in Halifax PA are all 92% Full.

Results

King of the Mountain

The King of The Mountain course is a single track, one mile course straight up Liberty Mountain in Lynchburg, VA. For the win, sneaking up from earlier starting waves, Hans Larsen with the lean at 8:24 on the clock. And for the ladies, Madeline McCoy for the win at 12:20 on the clock. Results are here.

Mid-Maryland Trail Festival

The Mid-Maryland Trail Festival 50k ran in Elkridge, MD. Of the 48 50k finishers Jeremy Ardanuy took the overall win in 3:27 with Jana Fridrichova in 4:24 for the women’s field. Results can be found here. I was able to catch up with Phil Lang, volunteer distance coach for the University Maryland Terps, and RD of the Mid-Maryland Trail Fest. Thanks Phil for the quick turnaround and this clip cueing us in to the Festival and weekend.

FKT’s

CT:

Debbie Livingston, 23m 42s for the Whitestone Cliff’s Trail, a 1.7 mile route with just under 500’ of gain.

NJ:

Justin Kousky, 19h 4m for the 50-mile long Batona Trail, a trail that runs through the heart of the Pinelands. Justin took down the one-way and out-back unsupported mark on this route. For the one-way he lowers Hugh MacMullan’s marke from May of 2020 by only 3 minutes, and his unsupported out-back becomes a baseline mark.

NY:

Jason Pageau, 1h 2m for Cascade and Porter in the ADK’s, a 5.4 mile route with 2,400’ of gain, taking down Nick Arndt’s time from March 2020 by just over 2 minutes.

VA:

Amanda Hicks, 2h 6m for a baseline unsupported mark on the 16 mile Arlington Loop.

Upcoming Events

March 13^th

Bel Monte Endurance Races

The Bel Monte Endurance Races (25k, 50k, 50m) stage in Lyndhurst, VA and run over beautiful trails in the George Washington National Forest in the Blue Ridge Mountains. BMER is the best spring mountain ultra in the east. The course is 95% single track trails and mountain roads and has 6,500 feet of gain for the 50M, 3,100 feet for the 50K and 2,100 for the 25K. They’ve been capped out around 350 and waitlisted for some time, but consider for next year.

Montvale

Montvale’s 5 and 8.4 milers are slated to run in Montvale, VA. Registration open on RunSignUp.

Elizabeth Furnace 50k

A sweet VHTRC springtime option running around Fort Valley, VA. A rocky, technical 50 km near the northern end of the Massanutten range. Named for nearby Elizabeth Furnace, one of four iron blast furnaces operated in Fort Valley during the 19th Century.

No Man’s 50k

No Man’s 50k (11m, 25k, 5k), an Athletics Equation women’s production slated to run in Prince William Forest Park in VA. What is the No Man’s 50K Challenge? It is a trail running endurance challenge for Women!  Hence the name: No Man’s 50K Challenge.  Okay, it is a slight play on words. Men, husbands, boyfriends, children, family and significant others will be part of the challenge, just not in a running capacity.

Seneca Creek Greenway Trail Marathon and 50k

On this run, you will experience some of Montgomery County, Maryland’s finest single-track trails meandering along the beautiful Seneca Creek in Seneca State Park.  This scenic trail is muddy, rocky, rooty, hilly and steep in sections with no major elevation gain/loss. This is a challenging but beautiful run for all!

Loony Leprechaun 10k

Loony Leprechaun 10k is a trail race slated to run in Richboro, PA.

March 14^th

Sassquad’s Substitute Single Squatch

Sassquad’s SSS 5.5 or 11 miler slated for March 14^th in Mahwah, NJ. Storytime from the Sassquad crew: “traditionally we have our two-day Double Squatch trail party the second weekend in March at Stokes State Forest…. Unfortunately, the NJ State Parks are not currently issuing permits for events, so we are going with Plan B and hosting this new “substitute” single day event! Join us at the Ramapo Valley County Reservation in Mahwah, NJ on Sunday March 14, 2021 for the “Substitute Single Squatch”! Come squatch 5.5 miles or 11 miles with us! We are proudly supporting our friends at the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference with this event! As always, our trail parties are open to runners and hikers of all ages and paces!” Registration live here.

March 21^st

Terrapin Mountain 50k and ½ Marathon

Another great Virginia option and early season 50k and half showcasing the beautiful and technical trails of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Long full but info at https://eco-xsports.com/events/terrapin-mountain/

March 28^th

Miocene Epic

A 6 Hr event running over a 5 mile loop along the shores of the beautiful Chesapeake Bay in Lusby, MD.

Naked Prussian

This year w/ the Bavarian merging in, for Marathon and 50 Mile options run on the flowing trails surrounding Blue Marsh Lake in Leesport, PA. Info at . 74 spots still available at on RunSignUp.

Virginia Adventures Dogwood Ultras

The Dogwood Ultras offer 10 mile, 12 Hour, 12 Hour Night, and 24 Hour options. Literally only a handful of spots left for a field a bit over 100. Climb on board here.

We’ll take you out tonight with a clip from Alejandro Zapata. Jandy’ a professional filmmaker, but, more critically, one of the Conestoga Cowboy’s. Many of you will already know of the Cowboys, but, just in case, here’s Jandy to cue you in to what’s on deck from their YouTube Channel.