Race Description

REGISTRATION IS CLOSED

Explore the border of CT and RI from top to bottom this winter. Complete as many routes as you like, and do it in as much or as little time as you can. The person(s) who complete the most routes in the fastest overall time(s) will get podium medals. Either way, we’ll send you some swag for signing up and completing at least one route (but what fun is that?).

We will provide a document that contains links to GPX files for all of the routes and calculate your score based on the routes you finish and how you rank compared to your competitors. You can even attempt a route more than once if you noticed that your sworn enemy finished 3 minutes faster than you on something. You’ll have from 8:30 am on December 21st (winter solstice) until 5:30 am on Saturday March 20th (spring equinox) to complete routes. You’ll need a way of recording your routes (GPS watch linked to a website where you upload your route like Strava, Garmin Connect, etc.), and then you’ll have access to a Google sheet (scoreboard) where you can add your route link. We’ll do the rest.

For any trails in RI state management areas, it is hunting season 7 days per week, and the state of RI requires 200 square inches of solid blaze orange clothing (yellow, pink, and mesh don’t count - the park officials can fine you for not wearing orange). Shotgun season is Dec. 5-13 (won’t affect you) and Dec. 26-Jan 2 (may affect you). We recommend avoiding any RI forest labeled as “management area” during those brief time periods. Management areas allow hunting while “preserves” generally do not. When in doubt, please do an internet search.

The Routes

Ben Utter Trail, Arcadia (out and back), 2.7 miles, 171 ft.

Green Falls Pond, Pachaug (blue/orange loop), 2.5 miles, 185 ft.

Canonchet Preserve (out and back), 5.5 miles, 450 ft.

Carter Preserve (outer loop), 7 miles, 500 ft.

TriTown Forest Preserve (blue loop), 5 miles, 850 ft.

Tillinghast-Wickaboxet Sampler (white, yellow, blue, yellow, white), 7 miles, 560 ft.

Shelter Trail, Arcadia (out and back), 7 miles, 488 ft.

Walkabout Loop, George Washington, (orange loop) 7.4 miles, 542 ft.

Breakheart Trail, Arcadia (out and back), 9.5 miles, 840 ft.

Lil’ Rhody Loop, Burlingame, 7.6 miles, 467 ft.

West Thompson Dam Loop, 7.7 miles, 880 ft.

Mt. Tom, Arcadia (out and back), 8.6 miles, 840 ft.

Tri-State Marker from Buck Hill (loop), 9.4 miles, 932 ft.

Narragansett Trail, RI, Yawgoog, (out and back), 8.3 miles, 1000 ft.

Arcadia Trail, Arcadia, (out and back), 13.5 miles, 1170 ft.

Quinebaug Trail, Pachaug (out and back), 14 miles, 1380 ft.

Tippecansett Trail, Arcadia/Pachaug (out and back), 20 miles, 1940 ft.

Pachaug-Nehantic Loop (Pachaug), 30 miles, 2300 ft.

FAQs

Q: Can I complete these routes on my bike?
A: No.

Q: Do I really have to run that 30 mile Pachaug-Nehantic loop?
A: No, but you can if you want to.

Q: Where do I park?
A: Most of these routes have a parking space or two (or more) right at the trailhead. Please have a good look at the route before you head over there to run it, and be sure you know where you’re going. Sometimes a quick google search will get you some photos of the trailhead.

Q: What is the total miles of all of the trails?
A: 172.7 miles (give or take a mile, mile and a half).

Q: Do I have to complete the trail in one single push?
A: Yes, you can't do these "piece meal" style. Once you start a trail, finish it in one go. We're looking at your elapsed time- start to finish including stops. Don't pause your watch, please. That's whack.

Q: What kinda swag you all doing for this?
A: Everyone will get a Ragged Cuts finisher's award and then awards for top three male and female finishers PLUS a dope Border Patrol trucker hat PLUS a sick Threadfast Apparel Tri-Blend t-shirt in orange so you get noticed.

Charity Beneficiaries

We like to give money to our friends that help build and maintain the trails we run on so we will be donating to both Connecticut Forest and Parks Association for keeping the blue blazes in CT nice and clean as well as the Narragansett Chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club for their work in Rhode Island. This is your race entry fee at work, and we thank you!

Event's current local time: 6:26 PM ET