Race Directors Forum

The Tom Bugliosi trail run will be here before you know it (May 12th). I have always enjoyed this race as the first "fair weather" trail run of the FLRC trail series, with the excitement of the start of a new trail running year and meeting up again with others that prefer running on the softer stuff.

Just as a reminder, this is a 13 or 26K (approximately 8 and 16 miles) race. This is the race's thirteenth running and the third year that I have directed it and that it has been held in Hammond Hill State Forest.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has constructed an extensive trail system throughout the Hammond Hill forest. Since many people in the past have been curious about which trails are utilized for the race, I thought I would give a list of the trails for which at least a portion is used for the Tom B course. Maps of the trail system (which should be used as a reference) can usually be found in a box at the trailhead near the parking lot off of Hammond Hill Rd. Directions to this parking lot can be found on the entry form, which is included in this newsletter.

Trails are marked with colored and numbered disks on trees, except for the Finger Lakes Trail (FLT)., which is marked with white blazes. The course follows Hammond Hill Rd up past the Cayuga Nature Center camp. At the top of the steep part of the hill on Hammond Hill Rd look for a little trail to the left in a clearing due to logging and follow it. Very shortly, trail G2 will cross this trail turn left again onto G2. From there the course uses trails: G1, Y5, down Red Man Run to R1, R2, FLT, Y4 and the FLT use the same trail for awhile. When they split the course continues to follow the FLT, Y3 to Y1. Y1 will take you back to the parking lot. If you go out and hit just a few of these trails you will get a good feel for what this course is like.

I do consider this a good introductory trail running course. Not necessarily because it is easy (it really can not be called that), but it does lack the huge long steep uphills that are common to this area. The steepest hill is at the beginning and from there the course rolls. Now, for those of you that feel that 8 miles may be too far, just remember that walking on inclines (or anywhere for that matter) in trail running is welcomed with open arms.

See you out there!

-- Tessa Bauer

P.S. Oh, and here are some course records, for you people who are ready to hit the softer stuff running!

13K open: Mark Gaffney (52:11), Gillian Sharp (1:02:28)

13K masters: James Jones (55:40), Donna Lockett (1:09:28)

26K open: Alan Evans (1:46:42), Abigail Watson (2:26:44)

26K masters: John Bott (2:18:49), Audrey Balander (2:23:24)