Local trail events build community and provide a challenge
By Vincent Corso
As I sit here writing this, I am very sore, very tired, and a little dehydrated. And I am loving every minute of it.
You see, just one day ago, on May 17, I ran my first trail race in three years and completed the inaugural Rothrock by Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) World Series 25K race. And my goodness, was it a challenge. The course starts off at Tussey Mountain before taking participants up and over 16.5 miles of rocky, rooty, and mountainous terrain with nearly 4,000 feet of elevation. Sounds fun, doesn’t it?
Well, it was the challenge I needed to hopefully get myself back in the trail running saddle. For years, participating in races like that was huge part of my life. What started off as an invitation from a friend to take part in the legendary Hyner Trail Challenge in nearby Clinton County became a defining feature of my life over the past 15 years.
Through the years, I took part in multiple trail and road running events locally, regionally and even out of state. It was fun, and somehow, while raising a kiddo, working two jobs, and attending Penn State as an adult student in my 30s, I was in the best shape of my life.
Sadly, over the past few years, that has gotten away from me. And even though I still exercise every day and try to be healthy, I have not been in race shape for a while. So, it was pretty great to get back out there on the trail.
Before it was brought into the UTMB family, the Rothrock race had been a part of the local trail running scene for years and had always been a personal favorite (you have to love a hometown race). Even with UTMB on board, local race directors remained at the helm of the event, and it was just as fun as always — only bigger this time around, with a 50K race added to the docket (those runners are incredible).
Also, the UTMB series brought a lot of international runners to the course, as they were looking to pick up points in the series. It was neat to hear different languages out there on the trail while I was trying to survive and not get hurt.
Of course, this race is just one of many outdoor events in the area that are making Happy Valley an outdoor destination, bringing in people from far and wide to compete, have fun, and hopefully make new friends. And it is certainly not just trail running.
From triathlons like the IRONMAN 70.3 Pennsylvania Happy Valley North American Championship to gravel and mountain bike races and series like Seasons of Rothrock and Trans-Sylvania Epic Stage Races, there is something for everyone who loves outdoor adventure in Happy Valley.
After all, within our boundaries are all or parts of six state parks (Bald Eagle, Black Moshannon, Poe Valley, Poe Paddy, Penn-Roosevelt, and McCall Dam) and four state forests (Bald Eagle, Moshannon, Rothrock, and Sproul), with many more just a stone’s throw away. It is easy to get outside for an adventure in Happy Valley.
Now, those outdoor adventures don’t have to be a trail race or IRONMAN triathlon. Anyone can put on a pair of shoes or hop on a bike and hit the trails. So, why do some people feel the need to participate in races and series, whether that be a 5K or a multiday gravel bike race?
Well, for me there are a few reasons.
Number one is that having a race or challenge to look forward to gives you something to train for. For example, two weeks before my trail race, I knew I needed to get one last longer run in before the big event, but it rained all weekend.
If I did not have a race on the horizon, there is a high probability that I would have stayed inside and maybe have gone to the gym. But, because I had an event coming up, I got my butt out there in the rain. I was mostly alone in the woods, except for a few others I ran into who were also training. Afterward, I felt great.
Another reason is the great sense of accomplishment that comes from completing something difficult. I am never going to win a trail race or even get back to my old speed, but it felt amazing knowing that I could still cross the finish line. Now, I am motivated to try again.
The last reason is perhaps the most important, especially true of events held in this area. There is a real sense of community out on the trail, and when people come together for an event like this, that sense of community is amplified big time.
Even though I had been away from the trail racing scene for a few years, it was so fun running into old friends and acquaintances, all offering encouragement while I made my way across the course.
I had forgotten what that sense of community felt like. But in a world where we are less connected to one another, the trail community really tries to lift each other up. It felt good to experience that again.
So, I am still sore and tired, and I am a lot slower than I used to be. But it feels good to know that I still have it in me.
Maybe we will see you out there next year.
Happy Trails! T&G
Vincent Corso enjoys drinking local and meeting new people at Central Pennsylvania’s many interesting establishments.
