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 š
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 š …]
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.Ā
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 āwater crossingsā and āmud flatsā 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 YOUSā¦. I am able to select who gets bib #1 each year. Here are the PAST BIB #1s… and the 2022 Bib #1!
2015 ā Ciorsdan thank you for helping with the whole event. Always #1 in my heart. I love you babe!
2016 ā Tony and Judy Godino – hiking the course today? Reverse direction?
2017 ā Charlie Vaccaro (Past BIB #1!!!). The record is officially paused for 2020-21.
2018 ā My parents John and Patricia Cummings – who are here today!
2019 ā Lee Willett –SundayRuns.org keeper of the maps, the compass, and the plan.
2021 ā 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 ā I will update the Trail Mix website with the 2022 results. If you donāt know what the Trail Mix Series is, check out trailmixseries.org.
Youngest Registered Runners:
M ā Tyler Mann (9)
F ā Miriam Wilson (14)
Oldest Registered Runners:
M ā Jimmy McGough, Ed Moore, John Kiselak, Michael Scourby, and Murray Rosenblith.
F ā 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!)
The Challenge: Walk, hike, or run 100k during the month of November 2022. Distance can be done anywhere, the only requirement is that it be on your feet.
You stay active as the days shorten and the weather cools down.
You can join our Strava Club to track your November progress and share with other challengers.
If you are in the local area of the Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, you can check out the Raven Rocks overlook which is on the Raven Rocks 10k Run course (and there are a pair of Ravens who live there that you might see if your timing is right!).
You can earn badges as you unlock the various achievements we have set up.
At the end of the month we tally your totals and send or give you a custom finisher “woodallion” with your name and badges and achievements (see image below) along with your shirt (if purchased).
The 2022 Raven 100k Challenge “woodallion” (mock-up) – The lightly etched outlines will be replaced with physical badge pieces fastened atop as those are earned. So you may have the whole deck filled or just parts. Some of the badges are very difficult to achieve!
Below are the badge images and names from last year and further down are the descriptions of the achievements. We are open to suggestions on adding more badges – especially if you are outside of the local Raven Rocks / Ward Pound Ridge area! Maybe an international badge if you run a Raven related course outside the USA!
Badge descriptions:
ā Run 10k on theĀ Raven Rocks Run courseĀ (raven badge) ā Run 5x 10k on theĀ Raven Rocks Run courseĀ (ultra raven badge) ā Run 10x 10k on theĀ Raven Rocks Run courseĀ (full flock badge) ā Take a selfie at the Raven Rocks Overlook and send it in (photographer badge) ā Submit a photo of yourself on a run with your āI Votedā sticker (bald eagle badge) or if you canāt vote in the election, next to someone with an āI Votedā sticker. ā Submit a photo of you running on Thanksgiving (turkey award) ā Photo of a raven anywhere (citizen award) (merged with traveler badge) ā Do a run in the dark to Raven Rocks (night owl badge) ā Do a run at dawn to Raven Rocks (cobweb crew badge) ā 200k distance in November (snowy owl badge) ā 300k distance in November (white raven badge) ā Read a stanza fromĀ Edgar Allan Poeās āThe Ravenā poemĀ and send us a link. UseĀ SoundCloud, YouTube, Facebook, or whatever audio service you want. (wise owl badge)
New badges last year include the “Peeter Badge” named for Peeter Muursepp who during 2020’s Raven 100k Challenge did 33 loops of the 10k Raven Rocks course. Get 33 loops or more to earn the badge. Last year Peeter upped the ante with 62 Raven Rocks 10k loops during the month of November. That’s more than 2 per day! If you surpass it with 62 (or more) and the badge name changes to your name. But we think Peeter is safe since that is a huge number. Only 3 people have ever earned this badge.
Jacob Benesch proposed a badge last year for anyone doing 5x Raven Rocks 10k course in one day (50k total). We already have a badge named the Ultra Raven Badge (5x over the course of a month), so we named a new badge called “The Raven Rockstar Badge” which is shown on the sample above. Only 3 people earned this badge in 2021.
Let us know if you have any questions about the Raven 100k Challenge for November 2022 – email ravenrocksrun@gmail.com. Thanks!
Our photographers do a great job! Today Carol, Sawyer, 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!)
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 havenāt 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 ā 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:
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 themā¦
New badge suggestions for 2021 from participants: Veteranās 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 donāt know what the last three proposed badges entail, but I eagerly await the explanations. Open to other suggestions as well ā 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:
ā Run 10k on the Raven Rocks Run course (raven badge) ā Run 5x 10k on the Raven Rocks Run course (ultra raven badge) ā Run 10x 10k on the Raven Rocks Run course (full flock badge) ā Take a selfie at the Raven Rocks Overlook and send it in (photographer badge) ā Submit a photo of yourself on a run with your āI Votedā sticker (bald eagle badge) or if you canāt vote in the election, next to someone with an āI Votedā sticker. ā Submit a photo of you running on Thanksgiving (turkey award) ā Photo of a raven anywhere (citizen award) (merged with traveler badge) ā Do a run in the dark to Raven Rocks (night owl badge) ā Do a run at dawn to Raven Rocks (cobweb crew badge) ā 200k distance in November (snowy owl badge) ā 300k distance in November (white raven badge) ā Read a stanza from Edgar Allan Poeās āThe Ravenā poem and send us a link. Use SoundCloud, YouTube, Facebook, or whatever audio service you want. (wise owl badge)
A November adventure awaits! The Raven 100k Challenge
Runners have started their Raven 100k Challenge — but there is plenty of time to register and join in before November 15th. Sign up by then and you can add your already-run November mileage to your entry.Ā
The Raven 100k Challenge, like the Raven Rocks Run, will support the Friends of Trailside Museum and Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, a 501(c)3 not for profit organization based at the Trailside Museum at Ward Pound Ridge Reservation.
Note: You can register as late as November 15 and enter your mileage to date when you register.
When you sign up, we will send you a Raven Challenge Gift. If you complete the challenge, you will receive a custom wooden finisher medallion. (prototype shown below with a few bonus badges included)
Bonus achievements
Image: custom finisher lasercut prototype with distance total and sample “achievement unlocked” badges on the bottom
In addition to running, walking, or hiking 100k during November, there are several bonus achievement badges you can unlock if you are able:
– 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) – Take a selfie at any Raven related site, store, zoo, etc. and send it in (traveler badge) – Submit a photo of yourself on a run with your āI Votedā sticker (bald eagle badge) or if you canāt vote in the election, next to someone with an āI Votedā sticker. – Submit a photo of you running on Thanksgiving (turkey award) – Photo of a raven anywhere (citizen award) – Do a run in the dark to Raven Rocks (night owl badge) – 200k distance in November (snowy owl badge) – 300k distance in November (white raven badge) – Read a stanza from Edgar Allan Poeās āThe Ravenā poem and send us a link. Use SoundCloud, YouTube, Facebook, or whatever audio service you want. (wise owl badge)
In addition, we will have awards for:
– First 3 men and First 3 women to 100k – Top 3 men and Top 3 women in total kilometers.
Note: In order to win these awards, distance submissions need to be made via GPX files.
Halfway bonus search
For those in the area near Ward Pound Ridge Reservation we have a special treat in mind. After you pass the 50 kilometer mark on your Raven 100k Challenge, we will send you GPS coordinates to somewhere in the park where we have hidden a small surprise for you to find. The surprise gifts will be obvious once you get there, but not easy to find unless you have the coordinates. Let us know when you find your halfway bonus (or if you canāt find it!).
We hope you can join us virtually in November for the Raven 100k Challenge! It is possible you will see others running the course and at the Rez, possibly even on the original race day Sunday 11/8.
Please let us know any questions you have. ravenrocksrun@gmail.com.
3. Roll over registration to the 2021 Raven Rocks Run race (this is the default option!),
4. Convert registration to the November 2020 Raven 100k Challenge which includes a virtual 2020 Raven Rocks 10k course run option. Details below.
If you have already registered for the Raven Rocks Run, please email us at ravenrocksrun@gmail.com with your choice of virtual 10k, refund, rollover to next year, or conversion of your registration to the Raven 100k Challenge.
If we don’t hear from you by November 15 we will include you in the rollover to the 2021 Raven Rocks Run.
We had planned a new type of hybrid race for this November’s Raven Rocks Run. Alas, with the changing pandemic situation, the county declined the final permits required to hold the hybrid race on Sunday, November 8.
Anyone who is currently registered can choose from these four paths:
Run the Virtual Raven Rocks Run on Nov 5th-9th as outlined as an original option,
Refund, no questions asked,
Roll over registration to the 2021 Raven Rocks Run race,
Convert registration to the November 2020 Raven 100k Challenge which includes a virtual 2020 Raven Rocks 10k course run. Details below.
If you have already registered for the Raven Rocks Run, please email us at ravenrocksrun@gmail.com with your choice of virtual 10k, refund, rollover to next year, or conversion of your registration to the Raven 100k Challenge.
It is our hope that many of you pick the virtual Raven 100k Challenge and meet up with many of the veteran runners in the SundayRuns.org group who are very familiar with the Rez and the Raven Rocks course. There are FIVE Sundays in November – plus Thanksgiving! If you run those six days with us that will likely get you at least halfway to the 100k. And some of the chosen Sunday courses might be very similar to the Raven Rocks course…
We tried to work to make this hybrid Raven Rocks race happen — but local circumstances and outlook have made it not possible at this point. We have already invested some $$ in the cancelled race and are moving forward with the extended November Raven 100k Challenge event, but we understand if you can’t do it or are not interested.
We hope you are inspired to take on the Raven 100k Challenge for the month of November. We were inspired to put on this virtual event by the “Run Like a Wolf” 100 mile challenge from the NY Wolf Center in South Salem NY that many of us participated in during this past August.
We have a few bonuses and surprises in store for the Raven 100k Challenge. Read on for more information.
The Raven 100k Challenge
The Raven Challenge is simple: first, register for the challenge. Then run, hike, or walk 100k during the month of November 2020. This works out to an average of around 3k per day or 25k (15 miles) per week.
The Raven 100k Challenge, like the Raven Rocks Run, will support the Friends of Trailside Museum and Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, a 501(c)3 not for profit organization based at the Trailside Museum at Ward Pound Ridge Reservation.
Note: You can register as late as November 15 and enter your mileage to date when you register.
When you sign up, we will send you your Raven Challenge Gift. If you complete the challenge, you will receive a wooden finisher medallion.
Bonus achievements
In addition to running, walking, or hiking 100k during November, there are several bonus achievement badges you can unlock if you are able:
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)
Take a selfie at any Raven related site, store, zoo, etc. and send it in (traveler 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)
Do a run in the dark to Raven Rocks (night owl 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, whatever service you want. (wise owl badge)
Any other badge ideas? We are open to suggestions š
In addition, we will have awards for:
First 3 men and First 3 women to 100k
Top 3 men and Top 3 women in total kilometers.
Note: In order to win these awards distance submissions need to be made via GPX files.
Halfway bonus search
For those in the area near Ward Pound Ridge Reservation we have a special treat in mind. After you pass the 50 kilometer mark on your Raven 100k Challenge, we will send you GPS coordinates to somewhere in the park where we have hidden a small surprise for you to find. It will be obvious once you get there, but not easy to find unless you have the coordinates. Let us know when you find your halfway bonus (or if you can’t find it!).
We hope you can join us virtually in November for the Raven 100k Challenge! It is possible you will see others running the course and at the Rez, possibly on the original sunday.
Thereās plenty of room for more photos if you want to share yours at our runner upload gallery here: https://leathermansloop.smugmug.com/upload/c7Rm4X/2019 — Big thanks to our runners and other volunteers who uploaded photos so far.
