Well, it has been a while, but it looks like I better find my racing shoes. After all, some of the top trail runners in the world will soon be making their way to Happy Valley to run on my home turf in a trail running event now called Rothrock by UTMB (rothrock.utmb.world).
As a now unretired, middle of the pack trail runner, I am stoked! With 50-kilometer and 25-kilometer options, the May 16 and 17races are part of the UTMB World Series, which has runners earn points by competing in races around the world.
When viewed together with the fact that the Pennsylvania Happy Valley Ironman will host the 70.3 (half-Ironman distance) in June, I think it is pretty safe to say that our little college community has found a nice place on the outdoor adventure hub map.
I feel like the world has finally caught up to what many of us have all known for a long time, that Happy Valley is more than a football town.
So much more. Our trails, our mountains, and our people are world class indeed, and now we will be seeing some amazing athletes come here to chew up some dirt and test their mettle on our rocky, rooty, and beautiful trails. I cannot wait to welcome them and see what they make of it. I just hope I can keep up.
Now, I have heard some of the trail-running old guard complain that by bringing in a big international racing group to what has been a local race, it will take away some of its magic. I get it. The Rothrock UTMB is a direct successor to the Rothrock Trail Challenge, an event that was always near and dear to my heart.
Since 2009, the Rothrock Trail Challenge has been testing people’s mettle on its fun and challenging course through Rothrock State Forrest, on trails that I use all the time.
First conceived by one of Central Pennsylvania’s foremost trail race directors, Craig Flemming of PA Trail Dogs, as a 30K and then a 25K trail race, the event went on hiatus after the 2018 race. The torch was picked up in 2021 by local trail enthusiasts as a fundraiser for the Tussey Mountain Ski Patrol.
Now, as it has grown into a UTMB event (more on that later), it is still helmed by local trail legends, currently Miera Minard and Scott Sheeder, who will continue as race directors.
These two are both about as local as you can get. Miera is a seven-time winner of the event and is just an awesome person. If there is anyone else who loves the trails of Rothrock State Forest more than her, I would like to meet them.
“This has always been my favorite trail race, and it has such a diverse amount of trails and even more now that we have the 50K,” says Meira.
Scott has been recreating in Rothrock since the 1980s and has been an instrumental part of many trail initiatives through the years, such as the Nittany Mountain Bike Association and the Harvest Fields Community Trails.
I am certain that these two will continue to make this race an awesome event that will support the community as the race expands as a UTBM event. The magic isn’t going anywhere. It is just getting bigger.
The UTMB World Series is a global trail running circuit that hosts top amateur and elite athletes at events held in mountainous destinations across multiple continents, according to a press release. Launched in 2021 through a collaboration between the UTMB Group and the Ironman Group, the series now includes dozens of races worldwide and provides runners with a pathway to qualify for the Hoka UTMB Mont-Blanc World Finals.
It will be interesting to see what that means for our little community the weekend after Penn State graduation. While the Rothrock Trail Challenge typically saw about 200 runners tackle the course, UTMB says it will be able to handle four times as many runners, bringing people into town during what is typically the down season. Furthermore, UTMB plans to continue to donate to Tussey Mountain Ski Patrol and make an investment in our local trail community as it adds Central Pennsylvania to it series.
So, I am dusting off my old racing shoes to run Rothrock again, excited to tackle the course I know so well with athletes from, potentially, around the world. With some awesomely steep climbs and fun but rocky descents, coupled with long runs through blooming mountain laurel and the potential of crossing paths with a rattlesnake or two, Rothrock is a challenge indeed. It really highlights part of what makes this area such a wonderful hub of outdoor adventure. Now we get to showcase that on a bigger stage.
Come on out and test your mettle, or cheer everyone on. I’ll be in the middle of the pack, hopefully, just trying to keep up. As the saying goes, “For those about to rock, we salute you!” T&G
Vincent Corso loves exploring the outdoors in Central Pennsylvania and beyond.
