It’s going off as scheduled as a trail race – there may be some icy spots so bring traction aids (microspikes, yaktrax, or my personal preference, screwshoes) just in case.

Here’s the latest from RD Carolyn Stocker –

Unless you have not guessed it, the WMass Snowshoe Scramble this Sunday, Jan. 22nd at 10am is going to be held as a trail race. As of now, the course is still subject to change but due to conditions there is going to be a ~3 mile loop that you can choose to do 1-2x. Expect trails to be icy in spots and if you have not run at Mt. Tom before, trails are technical and hilly.

Prereg available until 5 PM on Saturday 1/21; race info can be found here.

Also, if anyone is desperate to race on snowshoes this weekend – word is that Moose Mountain in NH on Saturday and Oak Mountain in NY on Sunday will be snowshoe events.

 

Just got word that with the forecast of warm weather and rain for later this week, RD Bob Dion is anticipating very poor course conditions and has made the call to postpone the Hoot Toot & Whistle 5k to Saturday, Feb. 4.

Looking ahead to Curly’s on Jan. 29 – RD Paul Bazanchuk scouted the course this past Sunday and posted pictures on the Curly’s race blog. Good conditions for an early spring trail run, lousy conditions for a snowshoe race! We’ll need a really good snowfall to make it happen… keep your fingers crossed and do your snow dance if you’ve got one…

No series races coming up this weekend, but there are a few non-series events you might want to check out.

Heading into the Adirondacks, the Cockadoodle Shoe 5k/10k races on Sunday are well established in Saranac, NY and are often attended by some of our Saratoga and Albany snowshoers. The RD has indicated that they have a good snow base and despite the warm weather this week the trails should be in great shape for the races. They’ve already got 43 people signed up so it should be a nice-sized crowd to run or hike with.

1/13 UPDATE: DEFINITELY SNOWSHOE!

 

 

 

 

Heading east, Saturday sees the Whitaker Woods 4mi Snowshoe Scramble in North Conway, NH. Part of the Granite State Snowshoe Series, Whitaker usually gets a sizeable and strong group of runners. UPDATE 1/13: DEFINITELY SNOWSHOE!

Heading west into central and western NY, Saturday brings the Beak n Skiff 5k at the Beak n Skiff Cider House in La Fayette, NY near Syracuse. UPDATE 1/13: TRAIL RACE

Sunday’s race near Rochester, the Mendon Ponds Winterfest 8k, is a long-established snowshoe tradition in western NY (and one of the staples of my own snowshoe racing schedule) with a new distance this year but all of the spirit, enthusiasm, and hilly terrain that are the signature of a Goose Racing event. UPDATE 1/13: TRAIL RACE

Just a reminder, things can change rapidly in the winter so it is always a good idea to double-check that a race is still being held before heading off to it. And it never hurts to bring along both snowshoeing and trail running gear in case conditions cause a change in the type of race that’s held.

21 stalwart snowshoers came out this morning for barely double-digit temperatures  and a challenging but scenic course at the inaugural Get Rec’d 5k+ snowshoe race at the Town of Stratton Recreation Area in South Londonderry, VT. In a few short weeks RD Mike Owens pulled together what was repeatedly referred to as an “old school” snowshoe race – off in the woods with snow-covered trails, a shelter open to the winter weather, a warming fire, and a chilly pit toilet. Despite the cold weather, conditions were good for running on snowshoes, with hard-packed trails with just a bit of cushioning powder and abundant sunshine. It was definitely a great morning to be running or walking through the woods!

Tim Van Orden and Jamie Woolsey continued a three race streak of first place finishes on a challenging course that saw runners following a rolling path out to a double loop, climbing approximately 300 ft over a half mile on each lap, before finally heading back on the same path they’d taken from the start.

After the race the top 3 men and women had their pick of some classic Vermont prizes: maple syrup, cheese, or a Dion Snowshoes fleece hat.

2017 Get Rec’d 5k+ results

(Note that the wind jumbled the finisher tags a bit, so if you ran the race and see an error in your time please email me so we can get it corrected.)

Thanks to RD Mike Owens for a fun event and for everyone who trekked out to the wilds of Vermont to make it a success!

UPDATE – Get Rec’d runners, here’s a thank you gift from RD Mike Owens and RoadID for your support of his event.