Time to get FOOLISH

New York State is much more than New York City. It is home to the Adirondack Park, the Thousand Island Region, Finger Lakes, canals, and ponds, thousands of villages, and hamlets as well as Niagara Falls. The FOOLS 409 is a 409-mile footrace across many of these regions. Starting at Niagara Falls racers will traverse East across the state and follow the Olympic Torch route through classic Adirondack villages of Lake Placid, Saranac Lake and Tupper Lake. The finish along Lake Champlain is one of the most beautiful sites in the Eastern United States. The Samuel Champlain Statue in the shadow of the bridge to Vermont awaits runners who have the audacity and intestinal fortitude to finish this race. Each racer will have 13 days to finish this event.
Racers will be broken into two categories checking in twice daily. Afraid runners will be self-supported, relying on their own wits and drive as they navigate long stretches of New York roads between respites. Un-Afraid runners will be supported and are allowed to have a crew.
When
Race Start: 26 September 2023
Race Finish 8 October 2023
Bus Ride: 25 September 2023
Pre-Race Dinner: 25 September 2023 Niagara Falls
Informal Dinner: The Bridge Restaurant 24 September 2023 Crown Point, NY
Afraid runners will meet in the pre-dawn morning in Port Henry, NY on 25 September 2023 and park their cars in a space provided near the finish. Those runners will then board busses to the start. Driving the route backwards with a bagged lunch stop provided along the way. Lunch will be is Oswego, NY and will consist of a photo of the lighthouse along Lake Ontario.
Those racers will leave Port Henry with only that which they will race with, the race director(s) will not store items for those racers. All racers Afraid and Unafraid will meet in Niagara Falls 25 September 2023 for a mandatory pre-race dinner. Afraid runners will then stay over in Niagara Falls where their rooms will be provided double occupancy as part of their fee. This is scheduled to change to single occupancy due to COVID-19. Unafraid runners with crews will not ride the bus, the crews and racers are allowed to meet in Port Henry and follow the bus to see the route if they would like. Hotel rooms are also not provided for crews or crewed racers.
The route is provided on the race website and will be provided in a pre-race email approximately 90 days prior to the event. Racers will need to provide their own turn sheets and plan their own route. The route is established, racers are allowed to leave the course but must return to the course to continue. We will not hold your hand, signing up for this event means you are an adult and navigation is part of being an adult. Racers are allowed to accept aid from road angels (if there are any), any racer that enters a home or a car will have their status changed to UnAfraid.
Finishers will receive a custom medal, bumper sticker, and car magnet. The finisher will have the option to order a custom hoodie or jacket at that time. All racers will receive a shirt and casino chip to a casino in Niagara Falls. Quitters will have the ability to order a custom “I didn’t make it this time” hoodie.
Finally, there will be very little aid provided throughout this event. There will be volunteers and staff to transport those that DNF back to their vehicles.
Questions can be answered via email at thefools409@gmail.com or via the race website
www.fools409.com

Waitlist

Wait List; A wait list will be maintained after the race has filled. Withdrawals replaced from the wait list will receive a refund at the rate listed above. You cannot sale your race slot to another person, racers who withdraw will lose their slot and receive whatever refund they qualify for. Racers coming off the waitlist will be charged the full registration price. There is no race deferment to 2024. Should the race be canceled for whatever reason racers will receive a refund based on money minus race deposits (busses, lunch, hotel, etc.)

Race Director

Feel free to contact Joshua Swink with any questions @
thefools409@gmail.com or
Swinksolutions@gmail.com

Refunds

Refunds; 90% refunds are available until December 31. Refunds will be available after that time, dependent on the ability to replace the withdrawing entrant from the wait list. Refunds will be made on a declining scale: January thru March 50% refund; April and May 25% refund; June 20% refund after 15 June no refunds will be provided. Race director makes all decisions concerning refunds. Understand that the race fees are used to fund the race.
Race director will be transparent, within reason, concerning the wait list.

Event's current local time: 5:23 AM ET