MUDDY CREEK TWP — It was no ordinary jog through the park.

Hundreds of runners raced through the trails of Moraine State Park on Saturday at the fourth annual Glacier Ridge Trail Ultramarathon.

There were three events during the day: 30-kilometer, 50-kilometer, and 50 -mile races.

Runners in the 50-mile ultramarathon were given up to 14 hours to finish.

Dan Adley of Washington, Pa., a leading organizer who helped create the event, said 230 runners registered this year.

“We had a good turnout for the 30k, it was about normal for the 50k, and we were a little off on the 50 mile,” he said. “That’s likely because of the hard winter. The runners couldn’t train as much.”

Adley said while the weather over the past couple months may have impacted the number of runners, those who signed up had great weather conditions.

“It’s absolutely ideal for running,” Adley said.

Matt Lipsey, a 2012 Slippery Rock University graduate from Kersey, Pa., set a new event record in the 30-kilometer race.

Lipsey, racing at Moraine for the first time, completed the roughly 19 mile track in 2 hours, 24 minutes and 32 seconds.

“I was just out having fun,” he said modestly.

Lipsey competes in different races in the state, both off-road courses like Glacier Ridge and traditional road marathons.

“Both have their interesting points,” he said. “They’re fun for different reasons.”

While fun, the off-road course offers a variety of obstacles.

“It’s definitely more challenging,” he said. “It’s harder to run in the mud than on a road. It’s like having bars of soap on your feet.”

Jeremy Peffer of Butler Township completed the 30 kilometer course in about 3 hours and 40 minutes.

“I did fairly well,” he said. “Better than last year.”

Peffer said he runs every Saturday and also trains for the Pittsburgh Marathon.

“You have to be a little more careful (off road),” he said. “You can’t daydream out there. You have to look around and watch where you’re stepping.”

While more complicated, the trail is more exciting than running on the road, Peffer said.

“It makes time go a lot faster,” he said.

Peffer said the weather was great for running, adding that the trail was in pretty good condition as well.

“It was a bit wet, but it is April,” he said.

Satisfied with the 30 kilometer, Peffer said he hopes to run the 50 kilometer next year.

“I’ll absolutely be back,” he said. “It’s a great event.”

The grueling race goes beyond personal milestones for the runners.

“It’s a fundraising event for the park,” Adley said.

The event raised more than a combined $35,000 in its first three years.

“We’re hoping to bring in around $9,000 this year,” Adley said.

The money will help fund improvements around the park, including a new bridge over Muddy Creek and environmental education classes at the Jennings Environmental Education Center.

With the success of this year’s event, Adley said he is already looking forward to next year.

“We’re setting the stage for next year to go over $50,000 raised,” he said. “We’re hoping to get a record attendance.”