The Trail MixNearly every runner who completed the 2017 Trail Mix Series was registered for the 2018 Leatherman’s Loop this past weekend! Congratulations on finishing for 2017 and starting the 2018 series off with a great and memorable run!
You may see some of the Trail Mix posters and cards around Westchester and Fairfield this year. Just in case you don’t here are some images to share! 😉
Click here for information about the 2018 series and registration for the individual races.
To all Runners who completed the 2017 Trail Mix Series:
You are guaranteed selection in the Leatherman’s Loop Lottery for 2018 ONLY IF YOU ENTER THE LOOP LOTTERY.
You have to register for the Loop Lottery so we know how many spots are available to the other regular entrants in the Loop Lottery.
You are guaranteed to get picked for a spot in the Loop Lottery if you are a Trail Mix series finisher — but we can’t enter your name into the Loop Lottery automatically. We need you to sign the USATF waiver and enter your credit card to pay for your entry.
If you are not sure you completed the 2017 Trail Mix Series, check here: 2017 Trail Mix Series final recap article including ALL series finisher names at bottom.
Thanks for understanding — and making our work easier 😉
Dear Trail Runners:
We are bringing back the Trail Mix Trail Series for a fourth year in 2017!
Runners can compete in the series by completing at least 4 of the 6 races in the series. The best four count towards the point totals for the series if runners complete five or six of the series races.
Trail Mix Series points are calculated as described on this page.
Runners who complete the 2017 series are eligible for automatic selection in the 2018 Leatherman’s Loop Lottery. (Runners who completed the 2016 series are eligible for automatic selection in the 2017 Loop Lottery! (as long as they enter the Loop Lottery!!)
The races in the Trail Mix 2017 are, in chronological order:
All of the Trail Mix series races are on Sunday mornings.
Hope this helps you plan your 2017 race calendar and you can join us, run in, and complete the series in 2017.
….David, Brant, Lee, Barry, Mark, Geoff, Rob, and Tony (the Trail Mix race directors)
Women’s Standings • Men’s Standings
We wrapped up the 2016 Trail Mix Series with the Raven Rocks Run at Ward Pound Ridge Reservation last Sunday morning.
Note – ALL runners who completed the 2016 Trail Mix Series by running at least four of the six races in the series are eligible for automatic selection in the Leatherman’s Loop Lottery as long as they enter the Loop Lottery in January 2017. In 2016 there are 94 runners who qualify for the automatic selection. See links to Men’s and Women’s standings links above for listing of all runners eligible.
For the Women’s Trail Mix Series, Lindsay Obrig took home the overall women’s series. Congratulations Lindsay! Teren Block finished second overall and first in the F50 category.
Anne Heinrichs had a strong final two races to secure third overall and the F30 category win. Chelsea Ellis took fourth overall and won the F20 category. Sydney Bieber was a very close fifth overall and first in the 13 & under category. Sydney is also the youngest female runner to complete the series ever.
Jerre Skeats took the F40 category while Asha Grossberndt took the 14-18 year old Juniors category.
For the Men’s Trail Mix Series, Virgil Bretz ran a strong early series. He was injured and volunteering at the last two Trail Mix races — but based on his strong early races he held off challengers through the end. Congratulations Virgil!
Matt Bedoukian was second overall in the Trail Mix, taking the M30 category. Josh Faust ran all six races and was third overall and took the M40 category.
John McElroy was 4th overall with Eamonn Sullivan just behind in 5th. Eamonn took the 13 & under category for the second straight year and was the youngest male runner to complete the series.
Longtime Loop runner Bill Bradsell ran all six races in the series and took the M50 category for the second year while Joseph Mokszycki (aka JoeMo) took the M60 category. Loop runner and patron Nick Ohnell ran away with the M70 category. Ryan Pufahl took the 14-18 year old Juniors category.
Some final highlights:
Congratulations everyone on a series well run – and enjoy that well earned automatic selection in the Loop Lottery as you enter it in January 2017!
List of Runners who completed the 2016 Trail Mix Series (and are eligible for automatic selection in the Leatherman’s Loop 2017 Lottery if they enter it.):
FOUR of the six Trail Mix Series races are complete for 2016. The updated 2016 Trail Mix Standings are online now (Women’s | Men’s). Each column is sortable and the categories and runner names are searchable.
Over 150 runners are “in the running” for completing the Trail Mix in 2016 — 52 different women and 112 different men have participated in at least two of the first four Trail Mix Series events so far in 2016!
Some leaders are beginning to emerge – for the women’s series, Chelsea Ellis is in the lead after winning two of her three races. Jennifer Morello has come on strong in the last two races with a second place finish at Pavement Ends and a first place finish at Sarah Bishop. Lindsey Obrig is a close third. Teren Block is the highest series competitor who has run all four races in 2016.
For the men’s series, Nicholas Roosa has won the last two races and vaulted into first overall with a perfect 100 average. Victor Da Costa Mendoza is second with a win in A Mild Sprain and a high finish in the Loop. They haven’t met head to head yet and it may come down to the last two races if they do. Luis Francisco, winner of the 2015 Leatherman’s Loop, is a close 3rd. Virgil Bretz is fourth and has run in every race in the 2016 series.
Any runners with four races completed have qualified for their automatic Leatherman’s Loop 2017 Lottery selection. Runners with three races complete need to finish either Run The Farm or Raven Rocks to qualify. Any runner with two Trail Mix races needs to finish both Run The Farm and Raven Rocks to qualify for the Trail Mix Series 2016.
The two remaining races in the 2016 Trail Mix Series are:
Both races are open for registration – sign up now using the links above.
More detail and links: If you ran in any TWO of the following races: the Leatherman’s Loop, A Mild Sprain, Where the Pavement Ends, or the Sarah Bishop Bushwhack, then you are listed in the Trail Mix 2016 standings. If you did not run two of these four races unfortunately you can’t complete the Trail Mix Series for 2016 — but you can still register for the remaining races linked above. If you ran in two or more of the races and you are NOT listed, please get in touch so we can address the issue.
Come on out – We’d love to see you on the trails and in the Mix!
Three of the six Trail Mix Series races are complete for 2016. Three more remain – including the Sarah Bishop Bushwhack this Sunday 9/25.
The updated 2016 Trail Mix Standings are online now (Women’s | Men’s) Each column is sortable and the categories and runner names are searchable.
Remaining races in the 2016 Trail Mix Series are:
These races are ALL open for registration – sign up now using the links above.
Nearly 1,700 runners — 612 different women and 1,066 different men have participated in at least one of the first two Trail Mix Series events so far in 2016!
This is our 3rd Trail Mix series and we’re hoping to bring it to as many runners as possible!
If you ran in either the Leatherman’s Loop, A Mild Sprain, or Where the Pavement Ends then you are listed in the Trail Mix 2016 standings. If you did not run one of these 3 races unfortunately you can’t complete the Trail Mix Series for 2016 — but you can still register for the remaining races!
The benefits are multiple — even if you aren’t in the running to take your age category or the series: You get to hang out and race with some super (and modest) people. You get to visit and explore beautiful locations around Westchester and Fairfield Counties. And through trail racing you can connect back to nature in a way that road racing can’t match.
And if those reasons weren’t enough, there’s one more bonus: If you complete the series in 2016, you will get an automatic selection in the Leatherman’s Loop Lottery in January 2017 for the April 2017 Loop.
If you see a problem in the results or standings, please let us know ASAP. The most common problems are name differences between races (e.g. Liz and Elizabeth, Jim and James, etc.) Considering over 1,600 different runners are being tracked at this point it is not possible for us to automatically match names in the standings database with these minor differences (we need to fix them by hand). It will help immensely if you pick a “race name” and stick to it for the series races when you register. Your race series volunteers appreciate the help! 😉 If you have already registered using a different name, we can change it if you let us know.
Come on out – We’d love to see you on the trails and in the Mix!
The fourth race of the 2016 Trail Mix Trail Series is getting ready to go on September 25th, 2016.
The Sarah Bishop Bushwhack is a 10k race held at Mountain Lakes Park in North Salem, NY. This year marks the 4th year of the race. Race directors Lee Willett, Barry Fagan, and Mark Vincent are gearing up for the big day.
The Sarah Bishop Bushwhack is a unique and challenging trail race. Easily drivable from New York City, the course traverses through the park’s 1000 acres of scenic woodlands, beautiful vistas, and around the lakes that give the park its name.
Its 6+ miles of hilly terrain will challenge new and veteran trail runners alike. For those looking for a more modest challenge, Sarah’s Scramble, a 1.5 mile run/walk is available as well.
Come to Mountain Lakes Park and Run — We’re looking forward to seeing you there!
The fifth race in the series is called Run The Farm and will be held on 10/23/16 at Muscoot Farm in Katonah/Somers NY. More information on that race closer to the date.
Remaining races in the 2016 Trail Mix Series are:
All of these races are open for registration – sign up now using the links above.
Over 1,600 runners — 588 different women and 1,025 different men have participated in at least one of the first two Trail Mix Series events in 2016!
If you ran in either the Leatherman’s Loop or A Mild Sprain (or both) then you are listed in the Trail Mix 2016 standings.
This is our 3rd Trail Mix series and we’re hoping to bring it to as many runners as possible!
The good news is even if you haven’t run in your first 2016 Trail Mix Series race yet, you can still complete the series and possibly win your age category or the whole thing – BUT you must enter all 4 fall trail races in the series to complete it for 2016 if you did not run the Loop or A Mild Sprain in the spring.
The benefits are multiple — even if you aren’t in the running to take your age category or the series.
You get to hang out and race with some super (and modest) people. You get to visit and explore beautiful locations around Westchester and Fairfield Counties. And through trail racing you can connect back to nature in a way that road racing can’t match.
And as if this weren’t enough, there’s one more bonus: If you complete the series in 2016, you will get an automatic selection in the Leatherman’s Loop Lottery in January 2017 for the April 2017 Loop.
If you see a problem in the results or standings, please let us know ASAP. The most common problems are name differences between races (e.g. Liz and Elizabeth, Jim and James, etc.) Considering over 1,600 different runners are being tracked at this point it is not possible for us to automatically match names in the standings database with these minor differences (we need to fix them by hand). It will help immensely if you pick a “race name” and stick to it for the series races when you register. Your race series volunteers appreciate the help! 😉 If you have already registered using a different name, we can change it if you let us know.
Come on out – We’d love to see you on the trails and in the Mix!
Women’s Standings • Men’s Standings
We wrapped up the 2015 Trail Mix Series with the inaugural running of the Raven Rocks Run at Ward Pound Ridge Reservation this past Sunday morning.
Note – ALL runners who completed the 2015 Trail Mix Series by running at least four of the six races in the series are eligible for automatic selection in the Leatherman’s Loop Lottery as long as they enter the Loop Lottery in January 2016. There are 66 runners who qualify for the automatic selection. See links to Men’s and Women’s standings links above for listing of these runners.
For the Women’s Trail Mix Series, Tiffany Carson took home the overall women’s series. Rachel Massa had a strong finish at Raven Rocks placing 2nd overall and locking her into the 2nd overall position and the F30 age category win.
Tracy Lawrence-Black used her 3rd place finish at Raven Rocks to vault into 3rd place overall and secure the F50 age category win. Teren Block had a strong showing at Raven Rocks as well to just edge out Lindsey Obrig from the F40 age category win.
The other women competitors in the 13U, the Juniors (14-19), and the F60 category did not run enough 2015 races to qualify for Trail Mix scoring.
For the Men’s Trail Mix Series, Gerry Sullivan ran in all six Trail Mix races and had locked up the overall Trail Mix #1 spot by the 5th race. For Raven Rocks he ran with his son Eamonn Sullivan, placing 11th and 12th. Eamonn secured his 13U category win finishing 5th in the Men’s Trail Mix standings.
Michael Diblasi was second overall in the Trail Mix, securing the M20 age category win.
In the closest age category division in the series, Virgil Bretz edged out Charles Glass by enough points in the final race of the season to take the M40 category.
Matthew Potenza won the M30 category with a comfortable margin over Luke Albrecht.
Longtime Loop runner Bill Bradsell took the M50 category while James McGough took the M60 category. Longtime Loop race director and runner Tony Godino ran away with the M70 category and sealed the deal with a strong finish at Raven Rocks.
Some final highlights:
Congratulations on a series well run – and savor that automatic selection in the Loop Lottery as you enter it in January 2016!
Women’s Standings • Men’s Standings
There are some categories that are decided and there are a bunch of ways the results can go in the final race in other categories. The Raven Rocks Run will decide the fates of everyone still on the cusp.
Remember: ALL runners who complete the 2015 Trail Mix Series by running at least four of the six races in the series are eligible for automatic selection in the Leatherman’s Loop Lottery as long as they enter the Loop Lottery in January 2016. There are currently 66 runners with at least 3 races in the series under their belt.
For the Women’s Trail Mix Series, Kori Krichko has a narrow lead over Tiffany Carson. However, in talking with Kori at Run The Farm she let us know she was moving out of the area before Raven Rocks so would miss her chance to get her 4th race in the series. In this case the women’s series will be decided between Tiffany, Rachel Massa, Lindsay Obrig, Tracy Lawrence-Black, and Teren Block. Each of these women could potentially notch a victory at Raven Rocks and secure the Trail Mix 2015 title.
For the Men’s Trail Mix Series, Gerry Sullivan ran in all five Trail Mix races to date and has already locked up the overall Trail Mix #1 spot. He does not even need to run in Raven Rocks to take the prize since it is mathematically impossible for second overall runner Michael Diblasi to catch up with him, even with a perfect 100 point finishing score. Michael won A Mild Sprain outright and beat Gerry to the finish at Leatherman’s Loop. But Gerry won Where the Pavement Ends and Run The Farm outright when Michael did not compete. In their other head-to-head contest, Gerry (#2 finisher) beat Michael (#3 finisher) in the Sarah Bishop Bushwhack.
We give out one age group prize for each gender and decade: for example, we have a prize for best Male 40-49 and another for best Female 40-49. If there’s only one eligible runner in a given category – then they win it! If there are no eligible runners in the category, there is no winner for 2015. Last year’s series winners are here for reference purposes.
For the Women’s age group categories, the races look as follows:
For the Female 13 & Under category, Sydney Bieber simply has to finish the Raven Rocks Run and she will win the age category for the 2015 Trail Mix. For the F20 category, assuming Kori Krichko either wins the overall title (still possible) or does not compete in Raven Rocks Run, then Erin Lindon would simply have to finish Raven Rocks to lock up the F20 age category.
The F30 category is a bit more involved. If Tiffany Carson wins the overall 2015 Trail Mix title, then Rachel Massa will be the F30 champ if she races like she has in her prior three Trail Mix events (which is a good bet). The dark horse in this category is Keely Cheslack-Postava who can take over the lead with an above par performance but only if Rachel stumbles — which she hasn’t done to date.
The F40 category is the most unpredictable. Lindsay Obrig has a 3/10 point lead over Teren Block. Lindsay edged out Teren in two of the three Trail Mix races they went head-t0-head in. Both runners have 4 races under their belts so this race is a chance to eliminate their lowest score. For Lindsay that is a 94.286 in the Sarah Bishop Bushwhack and for Teren her lowest is also in Sarah Bishop but is a slightly better 95.7145. Assuming both runners compete in Raven Rocks this means Teren has to finish not only higher but several spots higher than Lindsay to make up the gap. Last year’s overall Trail Mix Series winner Karen Haitoff is the dark horse in the F40 category. She would need two sub-par finishes from Lindsay and Teren as well as an excellent finish in her own race to have a hope of catching up.
The F50 category is owned by Tracy Lawrence-Black. She already has the 4 races needed under her belt. Even with a perfect 100 point finish, none of the other F50 runners could catch up to her 97.3468 average score. Kathy Jackson needs to finish Raven Rocks to qualify as a Trail Mix finisher. Mary Ann Cox and Judi DeMuro both have run in 5 of 5 races in the series to date and are guaranteed spots in the Loop Lottery if they choose to register for next year’s race.
There are no other Women’s Trail Mix participants after F50.
For the Men’s Trail Mix age group categories, we have a few close races and a few that are already decided.
Eamonn Sullivan is #6 overall and has locked up the Men’s 13 & Under category with a current score of 97.3944. He has raced in all five of the Trail Mix races to date, even beating his Dad, Gerry Sullivan, in A Mild Sprain back in May.
Michael Diblasi just has to finish Raven Rocks to secure his Trail Mix M20 title and an automatic selection if he enters the Leatherman’s Loop Lottery in early 2016.
No M30 runner has more than 3 Trail Mix races completed. This means it is potentially anyone’s prize, depending on how many competitors in the age category race at Raven Rocks. Assuming he does race, Matthew Potenza has the best chance to take the M30 category with a 93.244 points per race average after 3 races. The next closest runner is Luke Albrecht who has a 90.2709/race average. Luke beat Matthew in the Leatherman’s Loop, but Matthew returned the favor at Run The Farm. Matthew has the advantage but race day can bring surprises. Michael Firer and Dave Lesser are dark horses in this race, and with the potential for a DNS or DNF out there, anything can happen.
The M40 category is the absolute most competitive one out there for the Trail Mix Series. With Gerry Sullivan removed from the M40 mix having already secured the Trail Mix title, we have two tough and worthy competitors, Charles Glass and Virgil Bretz duking it out. They are separated by only 8/100ths of a point after 5 and 4 Trail mix races completed, respectively. Virgil has his work cut out for him, needing around a 98.5 or better and to finish ahead of Charles to have a shot at taking the category. Charles just needs to beat Virgil to keep the category. It is worth mentioning that but for an injury just before Sarah Bishop, we would be talking about a three way race including David Hambleton who finished with a high 98+ average in his uninjured races. There isn’t even a dark horse in this race, as no other runner has the points or races to catch up to Virgil and Charles at this point.
The M50 is another potentially close race. Longtime Loop runner and mud aficionado Bill Bradsell is in the lead and just needs to finish ahead of or within a few places behind Peter Holland to take the category. Michael Destasio is standing by in 3rd place overall to take over if any of the top 2 stumble or don’t finish the race. And since the top 3 runners have each only run in three Trail Mix races, there is always the possibility of them not competing or not finishing and being knocked out of the standings altogether. In this albeit unlikely case, dark horse Lee Willett would take the category.
Tony Muffati has roared into the catbird seat in the M60 category with strong showings in the last three Trail Mix races. If he finishes ahead of the other two M60 competitors he will definitely take the category prize. Even if he finishes well behind them, he will still likely win the category. But since he only has three of the 5 races completed, he needs to complete Raven Rocks to be counted in the Trail Mix standings. This opens the possibility (in the case of a Tony Muffati DNS or DNF) of James McGough taking back first overall in the category. Both Jim and third overall runner Chris Cassone have run in all five of the 2015 Trail Mix races and are already eligible for automatic selection in the Loop Lottery 2016.
Last in the list — but most certainly not least — is Tony Godino, Leatherman’s Loop founder and race director. Tony is the owner of the 2015 Trail Mix M70 age category and he just needs a finish in the Raven Rocks Run to solidify this feat. He would be the first race director of a Trail Mix Series race to take any of the prizes.
Some final highlights:
Congratulations to those runners who have secured their prizes — and best of luck to all of the rest of the competitors, whether an age category prize is in your future or not, you can be congratulated on a series well run – and savor that automatic selection in the Loop Lottery as you enter it in January 2016!