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2015 Trail Mix Series at Halfway Point

This past weekend, runners took to the woods of Ridgefield to run Where The Pavement Ends, the third of six races in the series. (In the spring the first two races in the Trail Mix Series were run: Leatherman’s Loop and A Mild Sprain.) Where The Pavement Ends added even more runners to the historic series, bringing the total eligible to over 1,500 runners.

The Sarah Bishop Bushwhack is in September.
The Sarah Bishop Bushwhack is in September.

Karen Haitoff, last year’s Trail Mix women’s champ, took over the lead in the female category with her performance in Where The Pavement Ends.  Jerre Skeats is second overall, around 8 points back. She leads in the F40 category. Mary Ann Cox (F50 leader), Judi DiMuro, and Tiffany Carson (M20) round out the top 5.

Sydney Bieber (13U), Erin Lindon (F20), Brooke Nohilly (FJr), Elaine Dill (F60), and Shirley Iselin (F70) lead in their respective categories. Some of the age categories are wide open with only one race completed in FJr, F60, and F70.

Gerry Sullivan took first overall male in the latest race. Combined with his stellar finishes in the first two races this puts him in first place in the men’s division with Charles Glass just a single point behind and leading the M40 category. Todd Henrich and Eamonn Sullivan (Gerry’s son) are just a few points behind them. Eamonn leads in the 13U category. Mike Paletta rounds out the top 5 overall men.

Lee Willett leads in the M50 category with other leaders Michael Diblasi (M20), Stephen England (M30), Charlie Stewart (MJr), James McGough (M60), Tony Godino (M70), and John Young (M80) all tops in their categories.

Current Trail Mix points standings can be found here:

For the Trail Mix Trail Series there are three more races to go at this time:

To compete in the series, you need to complete four of the six races. If you complete more than four, we only take your best four races so you can potentially eliminate your lowest point score. At this point you need to have at least one run completed in order to compete in the series for 2015.

Runners who complete the series by completing at least 4 of 6 Trail Mix races are eligible for automatic selection in the Leatherman’s Loop 2016 Lottery in January 2016. With the Loop celebrating its 30th year, this will be a hot ticket!

Scoring is done using a points system which is described here.

If you have any questions about the series, email us at trailmixseries@gmail.com.

See you on the trails!

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First Two Trail Mix Races Complete, Four to Go!

The Leatherman’s Loop and A Mild Sprain are complete and results for those races are finalized.

Where the Pavement Ends is in September.
Where the Pavement Ends is in September.

We have computed the Trail Mix points for runners in these races and they are linked below. The series is still open to new entrants! Even if you have not run a Trail Mix race in 2015 you can still compete in the series by completing the last four races.

Current Trail Mix points standings can be found here:

For the Trail Mix Trail Series there are four more races to go at this time:

To compete in the series, you only need to complete four of the six races. If you complete more than four, we only take your best four races so you can potentially eliminate your lowest point score.

Scoring is done using a points system which is described here.

If you have any questions about the series, email us at trailmixseries@gmail.com.

See you on the trails!

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Second Annual Trail Mix Series Announcement

We are excited to announce the Second Annual Trail Mix Trail Race Series! The first annual series is not quite finished yet — but we couldn’t wait to share the news about the 2015 series and the two new additions to the Trail Mix Series.

For 2015 we have increased from four up to six races in the series. The races are, in order:

  1. Leatherman’s Loop 10k – April 26, 2015 (Complete – view results)
  2. A Mild Sprain 4.25M – May 17, 2015 (Complete – view results) NEW to Trail Mix series!
  3. Where The Pavement Ends 4.25M – September 20, 2015 (registration link)
  4. Sarah Bishop Bushwhack 10k – September 27, 2015 (registration link)
  5. Run The Farm 5M – October 25, 2015 (registration link)
  6. Raven Rocks Run 10k – November 15, 2015* (registration linkNEW trail race + NEW to Trail Mix series!

We realize not everyone can make all six race dates due to conflicts, life, etc. We have made it so runners only have to run in four of the six trail races to compete in the series — see below and FAQ for details.

An added incentive: every runner who completes the 2015 Trail Mix Series (at least 4 of the 6 races run in 2015) will be eligible for automatic selection in the 2016 Loop Lottery.

leathermans-loop-trail-race-running-man-logo-tan-350x350First off the blocks: The series will begin with the Leatherman’s Loop 2015. But hey wait you ask – isn’t the Loop the last race in the 2014-15 Trail Mix Series? Why yes it is! For 2015 only, the Loop will count as both the final race in the 2014-15 series for the current Trail Mix participants and the first race in the 2015 series for everyone as we move forward.

It’s a bit of an overlap, but it’s the only way we could get the Trail Mix series on a more logical calendar year — and this transition will only happen once. If you run the 2015 Loop you are getting two Trail Mix races for the price of one! Race director Tony Godino is looking forward to kicking off the second Trail Mix series – and wrapping up the first!

Footprintlogo2015The second race in the 2015 Trail Mix series will be A Mild Sprain. This is the first of the two new trail races in the Trail Mix series. This 4.25 mile (ish) race is held on the technical trails of Sprain Ridge Park in Yonkers, NY. This race will be held Sunday, May 17, 2015. A Mild Sprain will be in its fourth year in 2015 and is directed by David Vogel and Brant Brooks. It is a super fundraiser for JDRF and has raised over $200,000 for that charity.

where-the-pavement-endsAfter a summer of training — especially on the trails with our Sunday Runs group — runners will be ready for the third race in the series: Where The Pavement Ends on September 20, 2015. This is a 4.25 mile race in Ridgefield, CT near Lake Windwing that will be in its 4th year in 2015. The race is directed by Geoff Morris and Evan McGerald who also direct the very popular TriRidgefield triathlon. The hills and single track are a big challenge in this demanding race.

SarahBishopLogo_320x320The fourth race in the series is the Sarah Bishop Bushwhack. This 10k race is in its 3rd year and will be held on September 27, 2015 at Mountain Lakes Park in North Salem, NY. It is directed by Lee Willett, Mark Vincent, and Barry Fagan. The park lives up to its name with plenty of lakes and some great hills. This event also features a 1.5 mile kids race that is proving more and more popular with the younger trail runners among us.

run-the-farm_veggies-cp-small-150-webclipRunners will head to Muscoot Farm in Katonah, NY for the fifth race in the series: Run The Farm. This race will be in its 6th year in 2015 and will be held on October 25, 2015 (tentative date). Race directors Tony Godino and Rob Cummings are looking forward to seeing everyone again at the farm and farmer’s market. This event also features two kids events that draw almost as many participants as the main event!

wakely-tower-drawing-text-99x200The sixth and final race in the series is a special announcement: we are excited to bring you the first running of the Raven Rocks Run 10k (formerly the Fire Tower 10k) at Ward Pound Ridge Reservation!

The Raven Rocks Run will be held on November 15, 2015. Rob Cummings will be race director of this new event. More details about the Fire Tower Run will be forthcoming. The Raven Rocks Run will focus on fundraising for the Trailside Museum’s efforts to restore the fire tower on the Blue trail at the park.

The Sunday Runs group will be leading course checks over all of the Trail Mix courses over the next 11 months. We encourage you to sign up at the SundayRuns.org website to receive updates about the run planned for each week.

There is no additional cost to compete in the series. Simply register for the races above as you normally would. We encourage you to let us know you are interested in participating in the Trail Mix Trail Series by filling out this form at the Trail Mix website. It will make tracking your results in the series much easier for us.

Every runner who finishes four or more races in the series will receive a special custom award. Age group and overall winners will receive special awards at the close of the series as well.

We are looking forward to a 2015 full of trail running and hope you are too!

….Tony, Rob, David, Brant, Geoff, Evan, Lee, Mark, Barry and all of the dedicated volunteers who make these races possible

PS: Let us know if you have any other questions about the second annual Trail Mix Trail Series (or questions about the first Trail Mix series if you are competing in that series!). We have a FAQ page set up but there may be something we have not covered there.

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Trail Mix – New Westchester/Fairfield Trail Series

Leatherman’s Loop Founders Newsletter, Volume 5

When Caballo Blanco gave me the name “El Co-Padre” I knew that it came with expectations and responsibilities in terms of my role as a trail race facilitator. He brilliantly matched his love of trail running with the social needs of the Tarahumara People who live in and run the Copper Canyons of Mexico. His vision for a running race which could help to ease the day to day burdens of the people he loved became a reality.

Christopher McDougall’s best seller Born To Run pulls most of the story out of a very private and very guarded Caballo. He was not exactly the person in the pages of the book. Simply put, he was better. I will always do my best to honor his memory and his ways with everything that I do related to trail running and racing.

That being said, Rob Cummings and I and a couple of other trail race organizers have come up with a plan which would link four local races together and give runners the opportunity to compete and be scored in a “Trail Mix” circuit.

If enough of you are interested and like the idea this will happen. Shortly after the last race in the circuit Rob will post full results using cumulative times and an awards banquet will follow. There will be an overall winner for male and female runners as well as winners in each age/gender category.

Fabulous Four

The kicker: Any runner who has asked to be tracked in the “Trail Mix” circuit and who registers to run in all three Fall Trail Mix races listed above will earn Guaranteed Lottery Selection for the Leatherman’s Loop in Spring 2015 to complete the series. You will still need to enter the Loop Lottery in January 2015 to register for the Loop — but you will be selected in the Loop Lottery.

(See our frequently asked questions and answers about the Trail Mix here)

Your response and feedback is needed

If you think that this is a good plan you simply need to respond to this newsletter and say that you are interested. Questions and feedback are welcome.

I am proud to say that I founded two of the races and played a role in bringing about the other two. The Loop was part of a twelve race series in the late 1980’s and participation involved travel in four states. These races are all within a ten mile radius. My hope is that my effort to fulfill my assigned responsibilities as a trail race facilitator will be taken to a new level.

Tony