December 20, 2020
Dear Raven Challenge Runner,
Thank you for signing up and participating in the inaugural Raven 100k Challenge this past November 2020.
The inaugural event was a success with over 100 runners, hikers, and walkers ranging in age from 12 through 73. Links to photos contributed by participants during the month are here.
Through this event we raised $6,402 for the Friends of Trailside Museum and Ward Pound Ridge Reservation through memberships and contributions. The Friends group supports the mission of education, conservation, and environmental action through the Trailside Museum and Ward Pound Ridge programs.
If you haven’t yet joined as a Friends of Trailside member for 2021 you can still do it at https://runsignup.com/ravenrocks/donate through January 15, 2021.
We are already looking forward to November 2021 for the next Raven 100k Challenge – and hopefully the return of the Raven Rocks 10k Trail Run.
Thanks again for your support. If you have any questions or need to get in touch, our email address in ravenrocksrun@gmail.com.
Rob Cummings
Race Director, Raven 100k Challenge and Raven Rocks Run Trail Race
PS: Be sure to check the Raven 100k Challenge highlights below.
Some highlights from the Raven 100k Challenge include:
| Chris Irwin – 1st overall male – 591.6k | Eileen Pike – 1st overall female – 446.9k |
| Daniel Roberto – 2nd overall male – 513.0k | Katharine Spector – 2nd overall female – 367.5k |
| Jacob Benesch – 3rd overall male – 491.3k | Andrea Mindell – 3rd overall female – 300.7k |
| Wolfgang Klein – 4th overall male – 460.8k | Kathy Lynch – 3rd overall female – 300.7k |
| Chris Irwin – 1st male to 100k | Katharine Spector – 1st female to 100k |
| Jacob Benesch – 2nd male to 100k | Eileen Pike – 2nd female to 100k |
| Daniel Roberto – 3rd male to 100k | Shirley Wittner – 3rd female to 100k |
- Number of participants: 111 – 67 men, 44 women
- Total badge types possible to earn: 13 unique badges
- Most total badge types possible for one person to earn in 2020: 11*
- Number of badges earned total: 427
- Number of participants who earned the maximum of 11 badges: 3
- Most common badge earned: Turkey badge (77)
- Second most common: Photographer badge (62)
- Least common badge earned: Full Flock badge (7)
- Second least common badge: Wise Owl badge (13)
- Number of GPS challenge items hidden at the Rez: 59
- Number of GPS challenge badges earned: 41
- Number of GPS challenge items still hidden at the park: 0, probably
- Participant who completed the most Raven Rocks Run 10k courses: Peeter Muursepp (31 times around in 30 days!)
- New badge next year for the participant who does the most Raven Rocks 10k courses in November 2021: The Peeter Badge.
- Note: if a participant exceeds 31 Raven Rocks courses in a subsequent year, the Peeter badge gets renamed for them…
- New badge suggestions for 2021 from participants: Veteran’s Day badge (run on 11/11), Triple Raven badge (3x course in one day), Volunteer Badge, Raven2Raven badge (run the Raven Rocks courses at the Rez and Rockefeller Park in the same day), Coyote badge, Naked Raven badge, Jose Cuervo badge. I don’t know what the last three proposed badges entail, but I eagerly await the explanations. Open to other suggestions as well – ravenrocksrun.org/contact-us
Next year if we are permitted, we will have the Raven Rocks Run 10k Trail Race at 9 a.m. on Sunday, November 7, 2021. We will also bring back the Raven 100k Challenge as well. We still have to figure out registration details — but anyone who signs up for both events with get a break on the dual registration.
Thanks again for being a part of this event!
*the Full Flock badge (10x on the course) supersedes the Ultra Raven badge (5x on the course) which supersedes the Raven Badge (1x on the course).
Badge descriptions:
– Run 10k on the Raven Rocks Run course (raven badge)
– Run 5x 10k on the Raven Rocks Run course (ultra raven badge)
– Run 10x 10k on the Raven Rocks Run course (full flock badge)
– Take a selfie at the Raven Rocks Overlook and send it in (photographer badge)
– Submit a photo of yourself on a run with your “I Voted” sticker (bald eagle badge) or if you can’t vote in the election, next to someone with an “I Voted” sticker.
– Submit a photo of you running on Thanksgiving (turkey award)
– Photo of a raven anywhere (citizen award) (merged with traveler badge)
– Do a run in the dark to Raven Rocks (night owl badge)
– Do a run at dawn to Raven Rocks (cobweb crew badge)
– 200k distance in November (snowy owl badge)
– 300k distance in November (white raven badge)
– Read a stanza from Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven” poem and send us a link. Use SoundCloud, YouTube, Facebook, or whatever audio service you want. (wise owl badge)