Fall brings longer challenges for local runners

As kids head back to school, local runners are gearing up for the State College area’s two longest road races of the year.

Since its inception in 2000, the Tussey Mountainback 50 Mile Relay and Ultramarathon has been the longest local footrace by far. With the return of the USA 50 Mile Championship, after two years in Wisconsin, the Mountainback attracts some of the country’s best ultrarunners to Rothrock State Forest, but the popular relay option welcomes runners of all abilities.

Runners can enter the race as a solo ultrarunner or as part of a team of two to eight runners. This year’s race date is Oct. 30.

The course consists of mostly unpaved forest roads and is divided into 12 legs. A series of weekly training runs introduces runners to the course one or two legs at a time. The Mountainback Discovery Series kicks off Sept. 1 with an out-and-back run on the first leg, for a total of 6.4 hilly miles. Runners can meet at 6 p.m. at the Tussey Ski Area parking lot. The complete schedule is online at http://tusseymountainback.com/events/mountainback-discovery-series.

Registration for the Mountainback relay and ultra is open through Oct. 15 at http://tusseymountainback.com.

With the apparent demise of the Mount Nittany Marathon, the Nittany Valley Half Marathon on Dec. 4 is once again the area’s second-longest road race. Begun as a full marathon in 1973, the race has been a 13.1-miler since 1984. Its hilly course takes runners from Penn State’s Ag Arena past the airport, down Rock Road, through Houserville, and finally up Orchard Road to finish at the Centre County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

As one of the area’s longest races, both in miles and years, the Nittany Valley Half has seen its share of stories over the years. The race’s organizer, the Nittany Valley Running Club, has compiled some of those stories, including freezing cold and stormy races, unseasonably warm December days, and even a gallery of T-shirt designs from previous years. All of these, as well as registration for this year’s race, are available at http://nvrun.com/index.php/racing/club-sponsored/nittany-valley-half-marathon.

Youth cross country series

The Centre Region Youth Cross-Country meets begin Sept. 10. The other meets this year will be Sept. 24 and Oct. 15, all beginning at 8:30 a.m. at Oak Hall Regional Park (120 Linden Hall Road). The meets, for kids 14 and younger, include various age-appropriate races from 2 to 4 kilometers. The meets, co-sponsored by the Nittany Valley Running Club and Centre Region Park and Recreation, are free and all participants receive ribbons. For more information and to register, see www.nvrun.com/index.php/racing/kids/youth-cross-country-program.

Local race results

▪  At the Allegheny Front Trail Run on July 30, Kathy Koetje-Simin, of State College, defended her 50K women’s title from 2015 and took nearly an hour off her previous time to finish in 7 hours, 18 minutes, 21 seconds. Allen Russell, of Rome, won the men’s 50K and set a course record of 4:42:06. In the new Hemlock Half Marathon, which replaced the event’s 20K, Dan Wilcko, of State College, was first in 1:41:55 and Meira Minard, of State College, took the women’s race in 1:51:50.

▪  Dan Craighead, of State College, won the Herbie’s Home Town Loop 10-miler on a hot and humid Aug. 13 in 59:33. Arielle Webb, of Pittsburgh, won the women’s race in 1:12:54. In the shorter, but no less hilly, 4-miler, Austin Pondel, of State College, led the way in 22:33 and Victoria Raish, of Bellefonte, was the first woman in 31:34.

▪  On the same warm day, an international field of runners set out on the course of the Eastern States 100, Pennsylvania’s answer to the revered Western States 100. Runners endured first heat and humidity, and then strong storms, not to mention the course’s more than 20,000 feet of elevation, leading many to drop before completing the 100 miles. Devon Olson, of Steamboat Springs, Colo., persevered to win in 20:30:36, and Michelle Leduc, of Ontario, was the first woman in 29:26:34. In the companion Call of the Wilds Marathon, Johanna Ohm, of State College, won the women’s race in 6:10:54, and Chris Chapman, of Ontario, was first overall in 5:56:30.

▪  Chris Cipro won the second Grange Fair 5K on Aug. 27 in 16:30. Nick Fornicola also finished under 17 minutes in 16:55. Tara Murray won the women’s race in 21:37.

▪  Minard picked up another trail win at the new Hyner Half Trail Race 14-miler on Aug. 27, finishing in 2:16:14. Her training partner, Carole Dudukovich, of Port Matilda, was just behind Minard in 2:17:23. Matt Lipsey, of Kersey, won the men’s race in 1:49:38.

Race calendar

▪  You Matter 5K Race and 10K (untimed) Bike Ride, Sept. 17, 9 a.m., Stepping Stones Church, 848 Science Park Road, State College. Benefits the Pregnancy Resource Clinic. For more information, visit www.scprc.com/you-matter-walk-run-ride/ or call 814-234-7341.

▪  Dam Half and Dam Full trail races, Sept. 18, 7 a.m. full, 8 a.m. half, R.B. Winter State Park. Last event of the 2016 Trail Runner Pennsylvania Trophy Series. To register, go to www.midpenntrailblazers.com.

▪  Boulder Beast 25-mile trail race, Sept. 24, 7 a.m., Castanea Township Fire Company picnic grounds. For more information, see www.boulderbeast.com or email race director Jeff Stover at jeff@boulderbeast.com.

▪  Raven Trail Half-Marathon, Oct. 2, 9 a.m., Poe Valley State Park. Benefits the Seven Mountains Conservation Corps, and trail building and maintenance in Bald Eagle State Forest. Organized by the Juniata Valley Striders with the support of the Seven Mountains Conservation Corps. Online registration at www.runreg.com/the--raven-trail-half-marathon.

This story was originally published August 31, 2016 at 7:25 PM with the headline "Fall brings longer challenges for local runners."