Dear Raven 100k Challenge Participants,
Thank you for signing up and participating in the third annual Raven 100k Challenge this past November 2022.
Your distance, along with the badges you earned, is engraved in your custom woodallion which just entered production December 7 and will be mailed out to you after they are completed. If you want to see the badge descriptions, click here.
The second annual event was a success with 73 runners, hikers, and walkers ranging in age from 14 through 72 completing the challenge. Click here for links to photos contributed by participants during the month.
Through this event — combined with the Raven Rocks 10k Run on November 13 — we raised $9,700 to date for the Friends of Trailside Museum and Ward Pound Ridge Reservation.
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 member for 2023 you can still do it at https://runsignup.com/ravenrocks/donate through December 31, 2022. Membership makes a great gift too!
We are already looking forward to November 2023 for the 4th Raven 100k Challenge – and the 8th Annual Raven Rocks 10k Trail Run. Mark your calendars for November 12, 2023!
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 2022 Raven 100k Challenge highlights below.
Some highlights from the 2022 Raven 100k Challenge include:
Longest distance covered and reported in November 2022
| Paul Woolley – 1st overall male – 520.3k | Joanie Dooley – 1st overall female – 409.9k |
| Jacob Benesch – 2nd overall male – 422.6k | Andrea Mindell – 2nd overall female – 305.2k |
| Anthony Marino – 3rd overall male – 379.2k | Mea Sgaglio – 3rd overall female – 301.1k |
| Eric Foxhall – 4th overall male – 311.8k | Mary Rubini – 4th overall female – 294.5k |
| Jamie Howard – 5th overall male – 303.4k | Kathy Lynch – 5th overall female – 283.4k |
First to 100k Milestone in November 2022
| Paul Woolley – 1st male to 100k | Mea Sgaglio – 1st female to 100k |
| Anthony Marino – 2nd male to 100k | Joanie Dooley – 2nd female to 100k |
| Eric Foxhall – 3rd male to 100k | Andrea Mindell – 3rd female to 100k |
- Number of 2022 participants who completed the 100k: 73 total – 39 men, 34 women
- Total badge types: 17 unique badges
- Most total badge types possible for one person to earn in 2022: 15*
- Number of participants who earned the maximum number of 15 badges: 0
- Most badges earned in 2022: 13 (Jacob Benesch, remote raven) and Gregory Boland (11)
- Number of badges earned total: 347
- Most common badge earned: Bald Eagle badge (63 of 73)
- Second most common: Turkey badge (60 of 73)
- Least common badge earned: Peeter Badge, (0 of 73),
- Second least common badges: Raven Rockstar Badge, Full Flock, Raven Meteor (all 1 of 73)
- Number of GPS challenge items hidden at the Rez: 30
- Number of GPS challenge badges earned: 23
- Number of GPS challenge items still hidden at the park: at least 7, we will be searching for them during an upcoming Sunday Run!
- 2022 Participant who completed the most Raven Rocks Run 10k courses: Jacob Benesch (15 times in a 24 hour period (set September 2022 and recognized because he moved to Seattle the next week)! Jacob is one with the Raven.
- Number of participants who reached 32 Raven Rocks 10k Loop courses completed in November 2022 required to earn the most difficult badge of all: The Peeter Badge: 0 of 73
- Note: if a participant gets 63 Raven Rocks courses or more in an upcoming year, the Peeter badge gets renamed for them… I don’t know if anyone will ever exceed the record on this.
- New Raven Meteor badge this year for participants who witness a meteor while running during November. Only one of our runners achieved this: Gregory Boland. Congrats Greg — You get a unique flair for your woodallion this year. Note for next year’s runners: The annual Leonid Meteor Shower is in Mid-Nov. each year and it is a perfect time for a night run and meteor gazing, sky cover permitting!
- The Veteran’s Day “bonus star” badge (run, walk, or hike on 11/11) had 56 of 73 participants gaining this woodallion flair badge!
- Other new badge ideas that challenge participants suggested include the Volunteer Badge and Raven2Raven badge (run the Raven Rocks courses at the Rez and Rockefeller Park in the same day). Also, the Coyote badge, Naked Raven badge, and Jose Cuervo badge. I still don’t know what the last three proposed badges entail, but I eagerly await the explanations. We are open to other badge suggestions as well – ravenrocksrun.org/contact-us
- We also note achievements and appreciations on the woodallions each year.
Next year we plan to hold the 8th annual Raven Rocks Run 10k Trail Race at 9 a.m. on Sunday, November 12, 2023. We will also bring back the Raven 100k Challenge as well for a 4th year. Anyone who signs up for both events at the same time will get a break on the dual registration. There also will be a super early (bird) raven discount when registration opens in early 2023.
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).
Check ravenrocksrun.org/photos for links to pictures (from this year and past years)of the Raven 100k Challenge and the Raven Rocks Run.
