If you like to plan your races in advance, sign up now! Plus there is a special combo discount if you sign up for both events (10k race and 100k challenge) at the same time.
Raven Rocks 10k Run will be held Sunday, November 12, 2023. The Raven 100k Challenge is set for Nov 1-30, 2023. Both events are open for registration now!
RegisterThanks for supporting the race — and the Friends of Trailside Museum and Ward Pound Ridge Reservation!
We have posted photos from our fantastic team of volunteer photographers here: https://leathermansloop.smugmug.com/Raven-Rocks-Run/2022
Thanks to photographers Carol Gordon, Tom Casper, Sawyer Cummings, Gene Leeds, and Rob Cummings.
We also had a GoPro set up capturing the finish line (to be posted). Once it is up. check to see your form as you got to your 10.3rd Kilometer…
There’s plenty of room for more photos if you want to share yours at our runner upload gallery here:
[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 😉 …]
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.
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.
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 “water crossings” and “mud flats” 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 YOUS…. I am able to select who gets bib #1 each year. Here are the PAST BIB #1s… and the 2022 Bib #1!
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 — I will update the Trail Mix website with the 2022 results. If you don’t know what the Trail Mix Series is, check out trailmixseries.org.
Youngest Registered Runners:
Oldest Registered Runners:
Final Thank Yous and acknowledgements:
OK, now for the start! (…. is the timer ready? all right!)
—Ready, Set, Go! ………. And they’re off!
We have posted the 2022 results here: https://ravenrocksrun.org/results/2022-results/.
Thanks runners for making this a great day and thanks to our volunteers for pitching in and making it happen.
We are working on a recap of the day and have started to get photos and video organized and uploaded. Check back at this page later on for the recap link — and refresh the 2022 photos link to see more as we upload.
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!)
YES there will be same day registration – opens 7:15am
Update: ALL Results • 2022 Results
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!
And if you haven’t yet joined the
Friends of Trailside Museum and Ward Pound Ridge Reservation,
you can do it now by clicking here:
The Raven Rocks Run is set to go tomorrow at 9am. See our Logistics Note for advice on getting to the park and getting oriented once you arrive.
Race organizers will be at the park and on the trails today doing the final prep work and fine tuning the course for our Sunday morning start.
RegisterThere 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).
See you on the trails!
–Rob
The seventh annual Raven Rocks Run is set to go at Ward Pound Ridge Reservation on Sunday, November 13th, 2022.
(The Raven 100k November Challenge is already underway! More info.)
Race director Rob Cummings, his lovely wife Ciorsdan along with many dedicated volunteers have been working hard to set up this year’s event.
IMPORTANT: There is a cap on Raven Rocks 10k Run registrations for 2022 – if we hit the cap there won’t be same day signup. Plan accordingly!
Registration link is here if you have any more folks to sign up (or you want to pass this on to a friend!): https://runsignup.com/RavenRocks
Not sure if you registered or want to check if a friend is registered? Click here:
https://runsignup.com/Race/RegistrationLookup/?raceId=25402
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 race morning. 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 CAN’T CONTINUE! There will be a number of “sweeps” running the course following the slower runners. If for any reason you can’t continue, wait for them to get to you to assess your needs. The park is over 4,300 acres so don’t 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! 😉 If 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 crew—not to mention the Pound Ridge, Lewisboro, and Westchester County Police officers and the dedicated members of the Lewisboro Volunteer Ambulance Corps!
If you want to volunteer, please reach out to us at ravenrocksrun@gmail.com. Thank you!
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 nears…. See you at the race!
Good luck and have fun,
….Rob, Ciorsdan, and the rest of the Raven Rocks Run Volunteers!
• Map and Directions to the Reservation
• Map of the Raven Rocks Run course
• Follow Raven Rocks on Facebook: http://facebook.com/ravenrocksrun
• Follow Raven Rocks on Instagram: http://instagram.com/ravenrocksrun
• Searchable list of registered runners
• Run on the trails on Sundays all year round!
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The Raven Rocks Run is the last race in a series of trail races called The Trail Mix. The Trail Mix will resume in 2023!
The Raven Rocks Run is a challenging 10k trail run at Ward Pound Ridge Reservation in Cross River, NY.
Race is in-person Sunday, November 13th, 2022 starting at 9am.
The race will start in the Meadow near the fallen oak tree and its massive remains. The course passes by the spot where the Leatherman’s Loop begins. Instead of heading towards the river as the Loop does, the Raven Rocks Run 10k course climbs and climbs up to the two highest points in the park (Raven Rocks Overlook and the Fire Tower Summit) before heading back for a (mostly) downhill and (relatively) flat finish.
The course passes by the site of the former Blue Trail fire tower which is the highest point in the park. We are working towards getting back the tower to its former spot in the park. See Course Map page for course details.
More information about the race and tower project is on the About page and the FAQ page of our ravenrocksrun.org website.
One of our limitations is a cap on 10k runners at 350 — so sign up early. We have gotten close to that number the last few times we put on the race — so it could get full, or it may not. Depends on the runner demand!
Trail Runners,
The Raven Rocks 10k Trail Run is BACK for a SEVENTH YEAR! 🙂
Date is Sunday, November 13, 2022 @9am. Woo hoo!
We are bringing back the Raven 100k Challenge with all of the fun elements from the last 2 years — plus we’re looking to add a few more activities to the 100k challenge during the month of November!
You can sign up for one or the other — or do BOTH!
Early bird (before 10/1) signups get the early bird discount. Signups for both events at the same time also get a discount which appears at checkout.
Shirts this year will be one design and available either on long-sleeved cotton shirts (traditional) and/or short sleeved tech fabric shirts (new!). You can purchase one, both, or neither shirt. If you are a purely virtual Raven 100k Challenge runner, we will mail you your shirt (if ordered) along with your finisher “woodallion.”
As always, these Raven events support the Friends of Trailside Museum and Ward Pound Ridge Reservation. We encourage runners to join as members of the museum during registration to support their non-profit educational and conservation purpose.
This year we are also planning to support the Friends of the Cross River Mountain Fire Tower. We will be working with the Westchester Parks Foundation and will be raising funds to support Westchester County and NY State in the restoration of the fire tower to Ward Pound Ridge Reservation. That fundraising account will be set up soon with a range of support levels. More to come on this news!
See you on the trails!
….Rob Cummings, Raven Rocks & Raven Challenge race director
The Raven Rocks Run is a challenging 10k trail run at Ward Pound Ridge Reservation in Cross River, NY.
The race will start in the Meadow near the fallen oak tree and its massive remains. The course passes by the spot where the Leatherman’s Loop begins. Instead of heading towards the river as the Loop does, the Raven Rocks Run 10k course climbs and climbs up to the two highest points in the park (Raven Rocks Overlook and the Fire Tower Summit) before heading back for a (mostly) downhill and (relatively) flat finish.
The course passes by the site of the former Cross River Mountain Fire Tower which is the highest point in the park. We are working towards getting back the tower to its former spot in the park. See Course Map page for course details and the fire tower’s former (and if we can make it happen the future) location.
More information about the race and tower project is on the About page and the FAQ page of our ravenrocksrun.org website and also the crmfiretower.org information site.
We are looking forward to November when we will run this event for the SEVENTH time!
Important: We have preliminary approval, but our race plans are contingent on final permit approval from the Westchester County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Conservation. If the COVID-19 situation changes and this approval is revoked and we are unable to offer the in-person event, we will still have the virtual event. We will also offer a 10k race registration fee refund (minus the charge that goes to the processing company) or race deferrals to 2023 for runners if the race is called off by the county. If we have placed the shirt order we will send the race shirt via mail to runners.
The Raven 100k Challenge is simple: first, register for the challenge. Then run, hike, or walk 100k during the month of November 2022.
Note: You can register as late as November 16 and enter your mileage to date when you register.
This works out to an average of around 3k per day or 25k (15 miles) per week.
If you complete the challenge, you will receive a wooden finisher medallion with achievement badges custom to your Raven Challenge journey. Shirts are optional.
The Raven 100k Challenge supports 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.
You can also join the Friends of Trailside Museum and Ward Pound Ridge Reservation for 2023 membership during signup. One of the most popular levels is the $100 “Wood Turtle” membership which gives the member a parking pass for the park either for the rest of 2022 or all of 2023 depending on when you join during the year.
In addition to running, walking, or hiking 100k during November, there are several bonus achievement badges you can unlock if you are able:
We are working to display the badges on your results page.
We will incorporate the badges on the physical wooden finisher “woodallion” that we create and send to you once you complete the Raven Challenge. See sample from 2021’s Raven Challenge here.
Any other badge ideas? We are open to suggestions.
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.
IMPORTANT: Anyone in contention for these Top 3 awards must make their entries in a timely manner: All entries must be made within 36 hours of your run/walk.
This is to prevent participants from “batch entering” their results.
Keep your results up to date if you are in the running!
Note: In order to win these awards distance submissions need to be verifiable via GPX files.
See instructions submitting results on RunSignUp Raven 100k Challenge page.
For those in the area near Ward Pound Ridge Reservation we have a special treat in mind that will lead to a bonus badge. If you opt-in via the status form (to be sent to participants in the challenge in November), then after you pass the 50 kilometer mark on your Raven 100k Challenge posted stats, we will send you your own coordinates via “What3Words” app to somewhere in the park where we have hidden a small challenge surprise for you to find. It will be obvious once you get there, but not easy to find unless you have the coordinates.
Everyone will have a different and unique spot somewhere in the park. Some will be further off-trail than others depending on how familiar you are with the park. Let us know when you find your halfway bonus (or if you can’t find it! – we don’t want to leave the challenge items out there!)
→ Sign up for the Raven Rocks Run and/or the Raven 100k Challenge Today!
You can participate in either event – they can be completely independent of each other. Or you can participate in both events. There is overlap in the 100k challenge and the 10k race since one of the Raven Challenge badges is awarded for completing the Raven Rocks Run course.
We are super happy to be out running on trails with you all! See you out there…
If you like to plan your races in advance, sign up now at the early bird rate! Plus there is a special combo discount if you sign up for both events at the same time.
Raven Rocks 10k Run will be held Sunday, November 13, 2022. The Raven 100k Challenge is set for Nov 1-30, 2022. Both events are open for registration now!
RegisterThanks for supporting the race and the Friends of Trailside Museum and Ward Pound Ridge Reservation!