About
Salt City Trail Racing, in partnership with Clark Reservation State Park, is pleased to announce the 9th annual Table Rock Trail Challenge, the third event of our 2025 race series. Prices increase after December 1, 2024 and then again on January 1, 2025. Runners who register after May 14, 2025 are not guaranteed a t-shirt.
The race is a Last One Standing event on a looped course with descending lap cut-off times held on the enchanting trails of Clark Reservation State Park. The park is geological point of interest for its many fossils and glacially produced features including the "table rock" limestone formations for which the race is named. Table Rock Trail Challenge has become a tradition for many CNY trail runners and a family favorite; runners start each lap together, giving runners of different speeds an opportunity to walk, jog, and then run together.
Whether you're a seasoned vet or new to the format, you WILL be challenged by this race as you battle the summer heat and humidity, alternatingly runnable and treacherous trail, other runners, and your own ego in the quest to complete as many laps as you can. However, just like in Big's Backyard Ultra, the inspiration for Table Rock Trail Challenge, if you want to win, you need to be the Last One Standing. Everyone else...loses!
**NEW in 2025** By popular demand, the race is going back to SATURDAY and will start at 8am. This year's race will include an end-of-the school-year cookout starting at noon, with even more quickly descending cut offs for runners still on course, promising an exciting atmosphere for spectators and more crowd support for the remaining runners. And as in 2024, Last One Standing awards will be given to the last male and female runners standing.
Table Rock Trail Challenge was the original event founded by Scott English that grew into the Salt City Trail Running series and is a USATF-sanctioned event.
Race Details
The race follows 2 looped courses, Course A (~1.3 miles), which will take runners over crushed gravel, slick table rock, dirt trails with rocks and roots, and some scrambless and Course B (~1.2 miles), which cuts the table rock and scramble sections.
The race will start on Course A for the first 10 laps, with the cut off time for each successive lap from Lap #1 to #10 being reduced by 1 minute per lap. Beginning with Lap #11, the race will shift to Course B, and on Laps #11 to #15, the clock will be reduced by 30 seconds per lap. From Lap #16 to #20, the clock will be reduced by 15 seconds per lap.
Beginning with Lap #21, the race will reverse on Course B, and the clock will remain at 10 minutes per lap until the Race Director starts slashing the lap cut off times at their discretion until only one runner is left standing. While the race will closely follow this sequence, the Race Director reserves the right to make adjustments as needed.
Last One Standing events raise a number of interesting hypothetical scenarios for how the winner will be decided. For example, let's say that the last two runners still on the course complete Lap #25 within the cut-off and Runner B crosses the finish line before Runner A. Both runners begin Lap #26, but both complete the lap OVER the cutoff with Runner A crossing the finish line before Runner B. Who won? Runner B will be declared the winner because they completed the last official lap (Lap #25) in first place.
In another scenario, the last two runners on course finish Lap #25 under the cutoff, with Runner A crossing the line first. Runner A decides not to continue. Runner B may choose to continue, and if they finish Lap #26 under the cutoff, they are the winner. However, if Runner B finishes Lap #26 OVER the cutoff, then Runner A will be declared the winner because they finished first in the last official lap (Lap #25).
All racers and volunteers are invited to the post race cookout with games and a soundtrack of summer hits from across the ages. So that we can plan for sufficient quantities, you will be asked to select your desired quantities of hotdogs, hamburgers, and veggie burgers during checkout.
More details about the race will be posted on the Salt City Trail Racing website in early 2025.
Weather, Refunds, & Deferrals
This is a rain-or-shine event and will be canceled or postponed only in the case of extreme or severe weather that causes the conditions to be unsafe. Refunds will not be granted; one-year deferrals are available in case of pregnancy, injury, or electing to volunteer at the race provided volunteer slots remain.
Event's current local time: 10:49 PM ET
