UPDATE: 73 of these participants have entered enough distance to qualify for a challenge woodallion.
Sixteen were lower than the cutoff. Missing the 100k mark unfortunately does not qualify for a 100k challenge finisher woodallion đ
The cutoff for submissions has passed. The table below is what was sent to the custom laser engraving company.
We have to get them the data to print the name and distance customized woodallions — plus the custom badges — so we can get the woodallions to the 100k challenge finishers in a timely manner.
Anyone registered who reaches 100k or higher walking, hiking, or running in November gets a custom Raven Challenge Woodallion suitable for display — and even suitable to hang on holiday decorations!
FINAL TALLY is belowas of 12/5/22 with the badge claims and distances reported.
If you need the link to claim your badges, click here. If you have new badges to claim, you can submit the form as many times as needed and we will “superscore” your badge claims (i.e. once you claim a badge you don’t need to claim it again on a subsequent form submission).
Let us know if you have any questions… See you on the trails!
[These were the prepared remarks for the pre-race announcements for 2022. It was a bit on the cold and rainy side so I shortened them up. Here for your enjoyment are the complete thoughts of your race director on the morning of the Raven Rocks Run 2022 đ …]
Start of the 2022 Race (video by Mike Mongiello)
Thank you for coming to the 7th annual Raven Rocks Run! Before we get going onto the course, I wanted to say hello – I am your race director Rob Cummings. I have a few items to cover briefly.
Happy Birthday to Christina Stejskalova (33) from San Francisco?!
104 of you joined (or renewed) Friends of Trailside Museum as members – over $9,000 raised. You can still sign up through at the race website’s Trailside Museum link.Â
LAYERS. If you have layers on now and you get to the campground (about 1 mile in) and you want to leave your outer layer, we will have volunteers collecting them in bins and returning them to the finish area for you to pick up at the end of your race.
Start taking your layers off at the sand hill. We will be waiting at the bottom of the meadow to collect them.
THE COURSE. The course carries hazards. The leaves can be slick in spots and the rain in the last few days has left some wet spots on the trail and a few âwater crossingsâ and âmud flatsâ features for your enjoyment.
We did some course “grooming” over the past two weeks. But Tropical Storm Nicole had other ideas. Rocks, leaves, and other hazards are always a natural part of the trail. Take care and take those rocky downhills slowly. The uphills you can go fast on.
Course markings are pink flags, pink ribbon, and one spot with yellow caution tape (that’s the RAVEN ROCKS OVERLOOK) to keep you going on the right trail. Pre-run by Joe, Lee, Peeter, Jeff, Veronica, and many others. I am quite sure they scared the coyotes and bears away.
SWEEPS. Sweeps will be following along behind the runners. If you can’t continue, stay on the course and the sweeps will catch up to you and send for help if you need it. They have cell phones, sweep maps, and LVAC contact info.
After runners finish we will have awards near the tent. Please stick around — you may go home with a prize!
THANK YOUSâŚ. I am able to select who gets bib #1 each year. Here are the PAST BIB #1s… and the 2022 Bib #1!
2015 â Ciorsdan thank you for helping with the whole event. Always #1 in my heart. I love you babe!
2016 â Tony and Judy Godino – hiking the course today? Reverse direction?
2017 â Charlie Vaccaro (Past BIB #1!!!). The record is officially paused for 2020-21.
2018 â My parents John and Patricia Cummings – who are here today!
2019 â Lee Willett –SundayRuns.org keeper of the maps, the compass, and the plan.
2021 â Jeff Main, superintendant of Ward Pound Ridge Reservation. Without his guidance and support, the race does not happen. Jeff is a quiet leader and has a deep history with this park and the Westchester County Park system.
2022 – Ed Dee, who won last year’s Raven Rocks Run and is back looking to repeat. Ed is an always-enthusiastic regular in the sunday runner crew. Ed loves the trails.
THE Trail Mix race directors: Lee, Veronica, Eric, David, Brant, Megan, and Nancy. (many races in the series are represented here?). Each year it keeps getting better â I will update the Trail Mix website with the 2022 results. If you donât know what the Trail Mix Series is, check out trailmixseries.org.
Youngest Registered Runners:
M â Tyler Mann (9)
F â Miriam Wilson (14)
Oldest Registered Runners:
M â Jimmy McGough, Ed Moore, John Kiselak, Michael Scourby, and Murray Rosenblith.
F â Heather Langham, Sharon Zinni, Renee Goldstein
Final Thank Yous and acknowledgements:
Jacob Benesch – Dedicated Sunday Runner, left the east coast for med school in Seattle. His Raven passion is missed here on the trail. But he is running with us virtually in the 100k Challenge!
Sunday Runners, many are volunteers here. Thanks for keeping the trails well traveled!
Parks department – Jeff, Chase, Mike, and the rest of the crew who are so supportive of what we do.
Tom Cohn – past president of the Friends of Trailside and THE driving force behind the newly energized “bring back the fire tower” effort. Big supporter of this race and runners.
Friends of Trailside Museum and Ward Pound Ridge Reservation – Thank you for your support of the Museum and Park!
Cecilia Soprano – amichiart.com – designed the t-shirt. And she did 2018, 2019, and 2021 shirt as well as all of the Run the Farm shirts since 2014.
LVAC – Volunteers all of them. What a great group of community members. They will take care of you if you should need it. Hopefully you meet them after you have crossed the finish line and are having a bagel & coffee.
PRVFD – All volunteers as well. If you get into trouble on the course they are ready to help.
Race volunteers – ATHLETIC TEAL t-shirts – thanks to them we get to have a race!
OK, now for the start! (…. is the timer ready? all right!)
Our photographers do a great job! Today Carol, Gene, Tom, Sawyer, Orion, and Rob took photos and video — plus thanks to all of the runners who will be submitting photos – thank you in advance!(hint: upload yours to this album!)
One tip for this year’s race: Bring another pair of shoes. The grass around the registration tent is a bit soggy. You may want a dry pair of shoes (and socks!) to drive home in!
There is Last Minute Online Registration available until this evening if you are deciding late to run – sign up now and make tomorrow morning easier for yourself!
THERE WILL BE SAME DAY REGISTRATION AT THE PARK TOMORROW! If you haven’t signed up yet but want to run – come early. Day of race registration opens at 7:15am.
Note: if you are running tomorrow and want to have an extra layer for the start but then want to peel it off (after that first big hill when you are warmed up!), we will have volunteers at Michigan Road (1 mile into the course, up the first big hill) who can collect your outer layers in a bin and will return them to the finish line area near the tent and fire put for you to pick up after you finish.
The course is the same as 2021 — barring any downed trees from overnight wind storms! It is already “lightly marked” and the full and final marking will take place today.
There is a water stop at the 4 mile mark at the top of the Fire Tower climb (the highest spot on the course).
Here are some tips that will help you on race morning:
1.) ARRIVE EARLY! The race is set to start at 9am. Bib pickup (and shirt pickup if ordered) begins at 7am on racemorning. Look for the tent in the Meadow Parking lot. Please plan to arrive at the park by 8:15am — or even earlier if you can swing it.
The regular $10 park entry fee is already incorporated as part of the Raven Rocks entry fee so there is no need to stop and pay at the entry booth. Park employees will direct you on parking as you arrive.
If the main meadow lot should fill up, we may need to use our backup lot near the entrance to the park. This would mean about 1/4 mile walk for runners arriving late. Another good reason to be early!
2.) DRIVE SLOWLY in the Park! Pay close attention to the staff and volunteers who are directing the parking. Car pool if you can – this helps the environment – and it makes the race more fun! For a helpful overview of the race location (parking, start, bib pickup), check the logistics page of the website here.
3.) LISTEN ATTENTIVELY TO PRE-RACE ANNOUNCEMENTS! Your Race Director will have important information about the course and safety. You will be instructed about potential hazards on the course and current course conditions.
4.) LISTEN FOR THE START! Following the instructions, we will start the runners.
5.) STAY ON COURSE IF YOU CANâT CONTINUE! There will be a number of âsweepsâ running the course following the slower runners. If for any reason you canât continue, wait for them to get to you to assess your needs. The park is over 4,300 acres so donât leave the course unless you know exactly where you are going.
6.) ALL DOGS MUST BE LEASHED! If your dog is running Raven Rocks they MUST START NEAR THE BACK with their humans and wait until the start line clears! For the safety of you, your dog, and the other runners, you must hold back at the start. Please be certain that your dog or its leash does not interfere with or impede any of the other runners. The county park law requires dogs be leashed at all times while in the park. This is for the safety of your dogs, other park patrons, and other dogs visiting.
7.) SAME DAY REGISTRATION – If we hit the cap before next weekend, we will not have this available. Online registration is open! đIf you or a friend are looking to run the race, sign up ASAP before we reach the cap!
8.) RESULTS: Printed lists of finishers with time and place will be available soon after the finish at the registration area and online later in the afternoon on the Raven Rocks Run website. Check it out at http://www.ravenrocksrun.org/results.
9.) THANK A VOLUNTEER! A tremendous amount of volunteer effort goes into making Raven Rocks a special event. T-shirt designers, registration volunteers, pie buyers, course setters, trail wardens, box lifters, water servers, bagel cutters, coffee brewers, parking coordinators, photographers, videographers, course sweeps, and the clean-up crewânot to mention the Pound Ridge, Lewisboro, and Westchester County Police officers and the dedicated members of the Lewisboro Volunteer Ambulance Corps!
We are grateful that we have such a wonderful group of trail running enthusiasts (YOU!) to share this run with. We are also thankful that we have the thousands of acres of parkland at the Rez to enjoy!
Many runners have become members of the Friends of Trailside Museum and Ward Pound Ridge Reservation group during registration – We thank you for joining! This group, which many of you are now members of, is one of the oldest “Friends” groups in the country and it is powered solely by memberships and volunteers.
Remember, leave only footprints, take only pictures, and please send us your photos via upload!
Expect more news shared on Facebook, Twitter, via email, and our website as the event nearsâŚ. See you at the race!
Good luck and have fun,
….Rob, Ciorsdan, and the rest of the Raven Rocks Run Volunteers!
(Note: this went out as an email to all registered runners for the 2022 Raven Rocks Run, the 2022 Raven 100k Challenge, as well as past registrants. If you did not receive this via email and you are registered, you may want to check your spam folder and set up ravenrocksrun@gmail.com on your address book/white list. If you have not yet registered and you plan to run – sign up now!)
