TrailDawgs

Mason Dixon Longest Day planning

2012-01-25T17:41:00.003-05:00

The Mason Dixon Longest Day 100k Challenge will be held again for 2012, this year on Saturday June 23.

This is a low key self supported running celebration and picnic. To maintain that spirit, it is limited to 25 adventurers.

This year, in addition to options on before official daylight starts, there is a fully self supported category, "The Jeremiah Dixon 5000 Chain Traverse," for the truly hardcore trail individualists, in addition to "The Charles Mason Celestial Passage" where a runner may have crew, pacers, and other assistance to help them enjoy the day.

Either way this is a real challenge and a target to start and finish in official daylight is daunting. To date since 2006 only a few dozen have completed the full distance and a handful have completed in official daylight.

To keep track of the adventure minded types who will be doing this we are maintaining a list on raceit.com that will be activated at 9:01 AM on Feb 1.

For more information go to traildawgs.org and the link under Events for MDLD in June or the direct link to the MDLD picnic page: http://traildawgs.blogspot.com/p/mason-dixon-trail-longest-day-100k.html.

Phinal PHUNT 2012 Update

2012-01-04T17:24:00.006-05:00

Maps. An update to the course map is available here (topo) and here (photo). We plan to have some supply of maps at the start/sign-in area on Sat.

Big Crowd. We expect a couple hundred runners might be dumb enough to turn out. Entrant list is here. If you have regained your senses and changed your plans and will not be running, please let us know (hbartine@yahoo.com).

Parking. Parking is tight and will primarily be on fields behind gravel lot. Please obtain a “PHUNT Runner Parking” sheet to place on your windshield from the a volunteer directing traffic . The parking sheet serves as a pass to park free for the day since we have already paid an event parking fee to cover it. Car pooling is encouraged -- please, please, please!

Start/Finish. The run start/ finish, as well as 15 mi aid , sign-in & -out, and Runabundance food collection location is at the end of gravel road by gate this year. Please park, sign-in on preprinted lists and bring Runabundance and other donations to the start area.

Food Drive. Please consider our running celebration to be an opportunity to share our good fortune with those who need help. Participate in the PHUNT Run Food Drive! The 2012 Runabundance for Philabundance is coordinated by TrailDawgs Alex Osterneck and Nikki Maier. You'll be helping The Elkton Relief Shelter, The Delaware Food Bank, and Philabundance. Help break the TD record in 2012! The participant who donates the most (canned goods, macaroni & cheese, breakfast cereals, no perishables,) will be crowned 2012 King or Queen, win personal-satisfaction, and be awarded a $50 gift-certificate to Trail Creek Outfitters.

Party Food. This is a Fat Ass run, so please feel free to bring snackies or drinks to share at the aid stations. We can give the Food Drive unopened leftovers.

Volunteers. Several have volunteered to date to help at the start/ finish aid and the “5 & 10”. If you have friends/family joining you and they want to help let us know since we can always use more. Volunteers Rock!

Prerun 8:45 AM meeting. Assemble near the start for any final instructions, picture, etc. and to participate in trail running accessory complimentary giveaway from Trail Creek Outfitters and Chester County Running Company-Pottstown. Thank you Trail Creek Outfitters and Chester County Running Company for being great friends of the Trail Dawgs and the trail running community.

9 AM Start. The 50k & 25K start together at 9 am. Be there or be square(ly behind the pack).

Aid stations. We have a great aid station, Margie's 5 & 10, at miles 5 & 10 (and again at 20 & 25 for the 50Kers) plus The PHUNT Kool-Aid Stand at 15 miles (the start/finish area for both races). There will be water, Gatorade, and miscellaneous other drink and food stuff available, including "special recipe" soup and/or chili. If you get a Little Debbie Pecan Roll before they are all gone, please thank Jim. Drop bags will be collected at the start and sent to Aid 5 & 10 if desired.

Finish and cut-offs. Runners shall record their times and initial their return on the sign-in/out sheets or will be disqualified and banned from the Olympic Trials. 50k runners who have not completed a single 15+ mi lap by 12:45 PM will be asked to withdraw from the run. There are awards/prizes for the top place male & female in each event.

Course Length. "OK, seriously, how long is this race? Those darned Trail Dawgs always run us longer than advertised." Best estimate from GPS on pre-runs: 15.8 miles per lap, 31.6 miles for the whole enchilada.

Trail Rule Number 1: Nothing is to be left behind. Fair Hill has a take-in/take-out requirement and trash left by runners is not acceptable. Please be courteous to others using the area since there may be hikers, bikers, and horses on the trails in addition to PHUNTers. Despite what the NYTimes reports, the RD does not curse. But if you litter, he may curse like a sailor. Please don't let this happen.

Emergency & other contact phone. If you carry a cell phone please add the Fair Hill NRMA emergency phone number to your contacts: 410-260-8888. RD Hunt Bartine's cell number is 267-273-6885 -- and no, he does not want to buy gutters or have his chimney cleaned so don't call him about that, only for emergencies.

PHUNT maps

2012-01-03T23:54:00.002-05:00

Your Trail Dawg hosts (notably marker-in-chief Jim Sullivan and RD Hunt) have been carefully pre-marking and checking the PHUNT course over the last few days. A group including Grandawgie (and RD-emeritus) Phat Phil will be out on Friday for a little touch-up.

We'll have some maps at the race, but if you care to print and bring your own, check these out:

PHUNT map 1 - aerial photo version
PHUNT map 2 - topo map version

PHUNT Pre-Run pics

2012-01-02T17:19:00.004-05:00

Thanks to Jim Rayburn for sharing these photos from the PHUNT course preview run on Saturday 12/31/11!

Link Here:

Feronia pics!

2012-01-02T17:12:00.002-05:00

A few photos from the November Feronia Frolic Funrunium Novum are now posted online.

Link is here.

PHUNT Pre-Run!

2011-12-19T09:54:00.002-05:00

PHUNT Pre-Run!

Saturday, December 31, 2011 at 9 am
Fair Hill Natural Resource Area
South Appleton Parking Lot
2000 Appleton Road, Elkton, MD

Want to prepare yourself mentally and directionally for the upcoming PHUNT 50K?

Well, a couple of your fellow Dawgies have offered to mark some of the course for a New Year's Eve pre-run! (Thanks Jim S and Hunt!)

It might be the actual course or it might be some interesting variation on it in the same neighborhood. Come out and see!

Don't forget: park fee is $3 for Marylanders, $4 for aliens.

PHUNT 50K

2011-12-13T21:32:00.004-05:00

Coming in early January...

PHUNT 50K
Saturday, January 7, 2012 at 9 am
Fair Hill Natural Resource Area
South Appleton Parking Lot
2000 Appleton Road, Elkton, MD

Oh No! Those slobberin' TrailDawgs are puttin' on another Dead-of-Winter 50K PHUNT Run.

With Special TrailDawg Guest "Phlorida Phil" Nissen!

PLEASE REGISTER HERE: https://www.raceit.com/register/?event=6912
Due to parking, organizing and park impact concern sign-up is limited to 300 this year. We're almost full!

Current Entrants

2012 Map

Pictures from 2011

If you're the sort of person who will truly enjoy a frigid foolish 31+ mile nature jaunt, come on our for an unofficial, unsanctioned, unapproved trail run at Maryland's Fair Hill Natural Management Area. Standard Fat-Ass format: No Fee, No Frills, No Wimps, No Whining! Orientation at 8:45 AM, race start at 9:00. The course is a two-loop 50K* this year -- or, choose one loop for 25K. Only want to do 10K? We may not mark that but we'll tell you how (it's easy).

We'll be running mostly on hilly single-track trail with a few tiny babbling brooks to cross, and just a teensy bit of rocky stuff to satisfy the trail-running purist. We haven't precisely measured the distance, but it's 95% trail with something like 3,000 ft. of aggregate vertical climb and has some super views! This run is meant for experienced trail runners, but anyone with marathon experience who wants to try an ultra and promises not to whine if they get tired and dirty is welcome. You should be able to finish the 50K in no more than 7-1/2 hours to be done before dark.

We're collecting $0, zero, zip, nada. Pay nothing, expecting nothing. But... we will have snack/water refill stations. The course will be marked by tape, flags, spray chalk or some creative combination of the three. We may have maps and course instructions or may just let you get lost, depending on the RD's mood.

Again this year: The TD Runabundance for Philabundance Food Drive!

The participant who donates the most food (canned goods, macaroni & cheese, breakfast cereals, no perishables) will be awarded a $50 gift-certificate to Trail Creek Outfitters.

Donations to defray our costs will be graciously accepted, with leftover monies donated to the Pack and park. All participants are encouraged to bring a snack item for the self-serve aid station or the post race feed.

Awards? Maybe some ice sculpture! We are planning to have post-race hot dogs, soup and other stuff at the finish or nearby, depending on the weather and who shows up.

(*Why 2 loops in 2012? Well, Phil is gone and we're too lazy to mark 31 miles of trail. Just kidding. Actually our normal one-loop course had some areas set off limits by the park due to hunting preparations.)

Need more info on the race? Contact RD Hunt Bartine at hbartine@yahoo.com.

Pre-Runs?!

One pre-run has been held: December 3rd, Saturday 9AM from Appleton South Parking Lot - hosted by Traildawg Jim S.; Total run estimated to be 14.3 miles (that's about 20 K). Water and Gatorade at 4.8 miles and 11.1 miles. Map and Turn by Turn Sheets. Parking fee is $3.00 for MD residents, $4.00 for non-residents.

No other pre-runs are pre-scheduled yet, but we may do something else on short notice on New Year's Eve (12/31) -- watch the TrailDawgs list