The Long Run
It's hard to imagine anyone running 50 miles through the woods. It's even harder to imagine a group doing it.
But more than 200 are registered to compete next weekend in the Glacier Ridge Trail Ultramarathons and Trail Race, the first ultramarathon event to occur in Moraine State Park.
As part of the event, runners are competing in one of three categories: 50-mile and 50K races, both classed as ultramarathons; and a 30K race, the equivalent of a conventional marathon but labeled a trail race.
The single-track, out-and-back course along the Glacier Ridge/North Country Trail begins at McDanel's Launch in Moraine, extending laterally through the park to the 30K turnaround near Mt. Union Road and Route 528, then veering north to the 50K turnaround at Jennings Environmental Education Center. Those running the 50-mile event will double back to the 30K mark, then follow the trail as it snakes downward to a turnaround point at McCall Road, not far from the park's border in Franklin Township.
Proceeds from the races will benefit the Moraine Preservation Fund and the McConnell's Mill, Moraine, Jennings Commission. Both are nonprofit, volunteer groups that help the parks with maintenance, improvements and educational programs.
According to race co-director Bob Fargo of Washington, Pa., participants from 15 states and Canada are signed up for the event, which opened registration last August.
“We somewhat arbitrarily set the field limits at 50 people for the trail race and 75 for each of the ultramarathons,” Fargo said, explaining runner dissatisfaction was more a risk than damage to the trail.“We didn't know what to expect. But lo and behold the 30K race reached its field limit sometime in December. The other two filled by sometime in early to mid-January — which to us was just astounding.“Typically ultra runners will finish their racing season, then around the holidays or the first of the year start to look at their calendars.”With 34 people on the waiting list by the month's end, coordinators opted to admit the entire group.An ultramarathoner himself, Fargo got the idea to coordinate the event after training in the park for the past two years.“That's how the conversation started, literally out on the trail one day,” said Fargo, who had been out running with co-director Dan Adley, also of Washington. Adley and Fargo serve on the race committee with Rick Freeman of South Park, who for 13 years has served as race director for the Laurel Highlands Ultra.“(We said) ‘we should maybe approach the park and see if they would allow us to organize this kind of an event,” Fargo said. “The park fell in love with the idea right from the very first mention of it.”“We're just really excited to have it,” said Jeremy Rekich, assistant park manager at Moraine. “It helps everybody in the long run. These guys are topnotch. They have so much experience in ultramarathons.”In addition to hosting the annual Regatta at Lake Arthur, Rekich said the park has hosted various outdoor racing events, but never a running event of this magnitude.Moraine also has hosted non-sporting events like the Boy Scouts' Campaganza in September and the Moraine Park Summer Festival two years prior.
“They definitely help the local community. They definitely help the local economy, and we want to be part of that,” Rekich said.Although Fargo estimates “hundreds of man hours” have been dedicated to the event, the 52-year-old environmental consultant claims no glory for his volunteer efforts.“Most of the events around the country — and there are hundreds, if not thousands — are all organized and staged by volunteers. It's a function of the sport,” he said.Despite that generosity, Fargo and Adley are not without help.The race was promoted with help from the Butler County Tourism and Convention Bureau, which paid for a half-page color ad in an ultramarathon magazine.Sponsorships also were sold to businesses including Butler Health System, which donated $2,500. Volunteers from the beneficiary groups and local outdoor clubs also are pitching in, doing jobs like staffing the three aid stations, which will provide food and other amenities to athletes.Although most of the trail is not visible from the road, Fargo said the public is welcome to cheer for racers at McDanel's launch, where all the events will begin and conclude. The three start times will stagger beginning at 6:30 a.m. Cutoff time for finishing the 30K race is five hours. Cutoff for the 50K and 50-mile races are nine and 14 hours respectively.Rekich said the park welcomes the racers, volunteers and spectators alike.“Anytime we can bridge those connections with users of the park, that's really important to us,” he said. “It's just very exciting to have them here.”For more information about the Glacier Ridge Trail Ultramarathons and Trail Race, go to http://www.glacierridgetrailultra.com/.
