About AnkleBiter 100k/50k/15k

ARBUCKLE TRACT AT LAKE WALES RIDGE STATE FOREST
Arbuckle Tract at Lake Wales Ridge State Forest is a 13,530 acre property in Frostproof offering opportunities for long hiking excursions, equestrian trails and camping.

Arbuckle Tract occupies a high ridge of ancient sand dunes and contains fast-disappearing pine and oak scrub, a habitat that is home to Florida scrub-jays and gopher tortoises. Lake Arbuckle adjoins the area, and fishing and canoeing may be enjoyed on the lake year-round. This Tract is a Great Florida Birding Trail site. Short-tailed hawks may be observed on the Paula Dockery Trail, and at Lake Arbuckle visitors will see wading birds, bald eagles, limpkins and ospreys.

FOOD!

We will have our grills out and making food all day! Pancake breakfast! Hamburger, hotdogs, QUESADILLAS other meats (and some fake meats for those few of you) for lunch! Chicken and brisket for those in the 50k & 100k!
Aid Stations: Electrolytes, fruits, gels, and many more items to keep you functioning!

Race details

You will be fully aided and supported, fed, and will have a course that's overmarked— "Flags on the right!!!!!"—and nearly impossible to get lost on if your eyes are open. Come down to Frostproof and enjoy The Arbuckle AnkleBiter at Lake Wales Ridge State Forest's Arbuckle Tract.

Details:

- 100k: 1 x 10k starter loop & then 3 x 30k loops
- 50k: 1 x 20k loop & then 1 x 30k loop
- 15k: 1 x 15k loop

Terrain you will encounter:
- Sand: There's lots of single-track packed sand; it's not soft and very runnable.
- Soft sand: There's plenty, but it's not long stretches. The longest is a mile or maybe a little more. It comes and goes; it's a good time to relax and eat.
- Grass: There's some grass trail; it's lumpy and annoying, to be honest. The sections that have rough, lumpy grass are my least favorite. I'd rather have more sand and less lumpy grass, just like the soft sand. There's not a ton of it, but it's out there. There are also spots where there are just bike grooves, and it's not called the ankle biter for no reason—this is a tough course even though it's flat.
- Clay & limestone roads: There are a few sections of clay roads and a few sections of limestone roads. These are great places to recover; aid stations will be on the limestone road or very close to it.
- Cypress City: You run along Lake Arbuckle, and it it is just a forest of little streams and cypress trees. This section has some soft sand as well. It’s a mile and a half, and it is treacherous. You need to take your time through this section. There are little tiny roots everywhere. There are bridges over streams; it gets narrow. This is the fun part, but be very aware and careful.

There is primitive camping on-site. There’s also a Polk County campground that has facilities—showers, power, and water—about 3 miles from the park. Arbuckle camping is primitive. They have a few portals, and we have a few more, but there are no facilities on-site. There is some water here and there, but it’s not drinkable.

Aid stations every 4 to 5 miles; runners’ camp/start/finish for canopies and crewing, and where the good food will be.

At the aid stations, you will find:

• DrinkLMNT mix, water only, and a fuel mix (TBD)
• Ice, the usual ultra snacks and junk food, along with good food, bananas, oranges, pickles, and protein bars.
• The midway aid station around 8 to 9 miles will have quesadillas, salted potatoes, ramen, probably some other hot foods. 100k runners will not see this aid station until mile 14 or 15 because of the 10K starter loop.

Salt pills, Sports legs GU gels!

Food at runners’ camp will be smoked chicken, smoked pork butts, brisket, and maybe some prime rib for the 100k’ers and late-night volunteers.

Hope to see you all to celebrate James’s and my birthday race. Mine’s on the 16th; his is on the 17th, and the race is on the 18th. We’ll be working on our birthdays doing what we love—marking the course for you folks!

Race Info

100k - start 6am -18hr cuttoff (midnight)
50k - start 7am
15k - start 9am

Course Info

100k & 50k are 18+ mile loops
15k on a separate loop

Camping

Details coming soon!

Event's current local time: 7:12 PM ET