May 11, Mountain Lakes Park

click for map page
click for map page

This Sunday, May 11 at 8:00 a.m., meet at Mountain Lakes Park, at the trail head of the white trail to Lookout Point, when we run the Outer OS loop. It’s been a while since we’ve run this as a group but it’s a great course full of rocky slopes and single-track forest trails. The map shows the loop to Hunt Lane and another around Spruce Lake, both of which are optional if you want to shorten the distance. Registration for the Second Annual Sarah Bishop Bushwhack is now open so this is a great chance to check out some of the trails for the race.

Saturday, May 10, 8:00 a.m.
Course check for A Mild Sprain trail race. Meet at Sprain Ridge Park and be ready to run at 8:00 a.m. sharp. Race director David Vogel will lead a check of the course so anyone who wants to can get to see the course before race day which is next Sunday, May 18. Registration for the race is still open and costs $40 (which includes some great swag) so you should—you know—register. If you want to car-pool for the course check, meet at Lewisboro Town Park lower lot at 7:25 a.m. and at the park-and-ride off exit 4 on route 684 at 7:35.

Hope to see you this Mother’s Day weekend.

Lee Willett

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Races and Events 2014

Sunday, September 21, 2014, Paine to Pain half marathon, New Rochelle
Sunday, September 28, 2014, Sarah Bishop Bushwhack 10k, Mountain Lakes Park
Sunday, October 26, 2014, Run The Farm, Muscoot Farm

Other local races
While not trail races, these local races are great community events.
Thursday, July 17, 2014, Westchester 5K at SUNY Purchase
Monday, September 1, 2014, 4th Annual South Salem Church Tavern Biathlon
Sunday, September 21, 2014, Mt. Kisco 5K

May 4, Michigan Road Lot

Trail Running, Westchester, New York, rock trail

Only 51 Weeks to Go Before Leatherman’s Loop

Trail Running Map of Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, Westchester, New York. 6.5 Mile Rock Trail Loop
click for map page

This Sunday, May 4 at 8:00 a.m., meet at the Ward Pound Ridge Reservation Michigan Road lot when we run a new variation of the Rock Trail Loop. This version starts on the Red/Yellow trail before we catch the RT at intersection 20. You’ll get a chance to run the new trail between 40 and 58 which replaces the “ankle-breaker” trail which is now closed. The RT trail is well marked so follow the signs and you’ll stay on course. The map shows an optional detour to Dancing Rock which would add an extra half mile to bring the total to 7. Plenty of ways to shorten the course as well if you’d like.

Saturday, May 3, 8:00 a.m.
If you’re looking for a run on Saturday, meet at Mountain Lakes Park and run the Outer OS loop. Don’t worry if you miss it though, we’ll be running there soon anyway.

Hope to see you this weekend.

Lee Willett

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Leatherman’s Loop Recap

What a great day we had for the Loop this year and although the course was slow and muddy, there were a lot of great performances. Here are some of the times from those on the Sunday Runs list (and a few of their kids). It’s not a complete list so if you want to be included and I’ve left you out, let me know. Congratulations to everyone and especially to Rob Cummings for comeback of the year. 


              CLASS  
ID#  PLACE    PLACE                FINISHER                    TIME     PACE
1      1       OpM   Tommy Nohilly, 48, Goldens Bridge, NY      40:55    6:33
3      8    2  M30   Gerry Sullivan, 39, White Plains, NY       43:51    7:01
818    21   6  M40   Todd Henrich, 46, South Salem, NY          47:37    7:37
1652   35   1  JrM   Eamonn Sullivan, 11, White Plains, NY      48:39    7:47
733    78   24 M40   John Goodrow, 45, Mahopac, NY              52:41    8:26
420    93   30 M40   Erick Wilson, 42, Stamford, CT             53:45    8:36
1745   95   31 M40   Mark Vincent, 44, Somers, NY               53:47    8:36
1334   103  37 M40   Rob Oden, 42, Bedford, NY                  54:25    8:42
316    108  33 M30   Alex Bradley, 35, Bedford, NY              54:37    8:44
434    121  14 M50   Lincoln Cleveland, 57, Bedford, NY         55:25    8:52
1214   125  16 M50   Joe Mokszycki, 58, South Salem, NY         55:27    8:52
1816   130  17 M50   Lee Willett, 51, South Salem, NY           55:37    8:54
250    134  49 M40   Alan Bazaar, 44, Katonah, NY               55:46    8:55
203    138  38 M30   Dan Aitchison, 34, Cross River, NY         56:25    9:01
748    144  53 M40   Jonathan Greene, 40, Katonah, NY           56:44    9:05
538    147  14 M20   Christopher Dent, 25, Yorktown Heights, NY 56:46    9:05
1791   160  63 M40   Stuart Weitzman, 40, Bedford Hills, NY     57:29    9:12
493    163  44 M30   Tom Curley, 39, South Salem, NY            57:34    9:13
435    167  66 M40   Joseph Cloidt, 47, Armonk, NY              57:40    9:14
776    15   4  W40   Karen Haitoff, 45*, Katonah, NY            57:52    9:15
1746   178  5  JrM   Sean Vincent, 12, Somers, NY               58:25    9:21
1724   181  24 M50   Charles Vaccaro, 51, Patterson, NY         58:39    9:23
322    183  72 M40   Jason Braun, 45, Garrison, NY              58:42    9:24
296    18   5  W40   Teren Block, 48*, Ridgefield, CT           58:46    9:24
1429   20   4  W15   Julia Realander, 15*, Ridgefield, CT       59:28    9:31
1430   204  82 M40   Keith Realander, 48, Ridgefield, CT        59:28    9:31
1467   21   7  W40   Kelley Roche, 45*, South Salem, NY         59:31    9:31
737    206  30 M50   Michael Gorman, 50, Bedford, NY            59:34    9:32
1748   213  85 M40   David Vogel, 45, Scarsdale, NY             59:48    9:34
33     224  89 M40   Mike Paletta, 48, Mount Kisco, NY        1:00:13    9:38
384    228  38 M50   Mike Carangelo, 50, South Salem, NY      1:00:20    9:39
1630   34   10 W30   Margo Sterling, 33*, Pound Ridge, NY     1:01:11    9:47
1839   250  59 M30   Brian Yomtov, 39, Stamford, CT           1:01:25    9:50
800    296  69 M30   Scott Harrison, 35, Bedford, NY          1:03:34   10:10
824    47   13 W30   Eleanor Hershey, 37*, Katonah, NY        1:03:45   10:12
968   321  135 M40   Daniel Kortick, 47, Somers, NY           1:04:23   10:18
1100  353  149 M40   Larry Mango, 44, South Salem, NY         1:05:46   10:31
1753  355  150 M40   Karl Wachter, 47, Katonah, NY            1:05:52   10:32
1055   76   22 W30   Beth Llanos, 39*, South Salem, NY        1:07:01   10:43
1627   402 169 M40   Brian Stempel, 42, South Salem, NY       1:08:14   10:55
443    88   32 W40   Aarti Comstock, 40*, South Salem, NY     1:08:26   10:57
854   101   40 W40   Kelley Housman, 49*, South Salem, NY     1:09:43   11:09
1003  114   30 W30   Christy Leggiero, 37*, Yonkers, NY       1:11:07   11:23
417   123   33 W30   Jill Chmielewski, 38*, Milford, CT       1:12:11   11:33
747   497   11 M60   Frank Greene, 60, Katonah, NY            1:12:14   11:33
1078  135   58 W40   Kathy Lynch, 45*, Mt Kisco, NY           1:13:12   11:43
1920  548  229 M40   Santiago Rozas, 48, Pound Ridge, NY      1:14:44   11:57
1108  551  232 M40   Alan Martin, 45, Westport, CT            1:14:51   11:58
1283  565  240 M40   Joseph Neu, 48, South Salem, NY          1:15:36   12:06
1682  589   28 M15   Matthew Thompson, 15, Hopewell Junctn NY 1:17:20   12:22
1681  590  110 M50   Jeff Thompson, 51, Hopewell Junction, NY 1:17:23   12:23
24    592    1 M70   Nick Ohnell, 72, Greenwich, CT           1:17:25   12:23
1922  201   12 W50   Bettina Sementilli, 52*, Brewster, NY    1:19:16   12:41
1228  627  268 M40   Jim Moreo, 49, Goldens Bridge, NY        1:19:47   12:46
1004  635  272 M40   Dean Leggiero, 47, Yonkers, NY           1:20:17   12:51
347   231   97 W40   Lisa Buchman, 44*, Cross River, NY       1:22:53   13:16
488   684   29 M15   Griffin Cummings, 16, South Salem, NY    1:23:52   13:25
735   702  135 M50   Mark Gordon, 54, Cross River, NY         1:24:37   13:32
1251  308   27 W50   Debbie Mullin, 54*, Pound Ridge, NY      1:31:04   14:34
12    754   33 JrM   Orion Cummings, 12, South Salem, NY      1:32:30   14:48
1919  320   29 W50   Trisha Rozas, 50*, Pound Ridge, NY       1:32:34   14:49
888   758  149 M50   Chris Jaworski, 56, Bloomfield, NJ       1:33:07   14:54
501   763  325 M40   Pete D'Urso, 44, South Salem, NY         1:33:54   15:01
1335  788   35 M60   Robert Oden, 67, Hanover, NH             1:40:15   16:02
99    813  338 M40   Rob Cummings, 46, South Salem, NY        2:00:19   19:15
462   416   49 W50   Shirley Copeland, 54*, South Salem, NY   2:13:18   21:20

shirley

April 27, Leatherman’s Loop

I look forward to seeing many of you at the Leatherman’s Loop this Sunday. Good luck to you all and we’ll run together next week.

Important notes from the Leatherman’s Loop team

Race organizers Mike Paletta, Tony & Judy Godino, Rob Cummings and the dedicated Leatherman’s Loop volunteers have been working hard to set up this year’s event. All we need is YOU!

Below are some important instructions regarding the Loop. Registration is packed full. We will need your help to ensure that loop day goes smoothly.

Here are some tips that you can incorporate into your plan for the morning and the day:

1.) ARRIVE EARLY! Please plan to arrive at the park before 8:20. Car pool if you can. Traffic will back up considerably at the park entrance as race time approaches. Please be patient. The regular $10 parking fee is incorporated as part of the loop entry fee so entry will go more quickly. It is always wise to arrive earlier than you think you need to in order to make sure you are all set by race start time (9am). This is especially true if it is your first time running the Loop.

2.) DRIVE SLOWLY and CAREFULLY in the Park! Watch the volunteers who are directing the parking. PARK TIGHT! Plan ahead – Car Pool if you can!. For a helpful overview of the race location (parking, start, bib pickup), check the logistics page on the website.

Continue reading

April 20, Meadow Parking Lot

WPR_6mi_MeadowMuseumFiretowerMichigan
click for map page

This Sunday, April 20 at 8:00 a.m., meet at the Ward Pound Ridge Reservation Meadow Parking lot when we run a new course that combines some serious hills with some wide-open trails to stretch your legs. The Meadow, Museum, Fire Tower to Michigan run is 6 miles of awesome that will give you a combination of steep slopes and gentle hills (pretty much in that order). There are some unexpected turns on this course so you’ll want to keep a map handy so you’re sure to stay on-course.
Sunday, April 20 at 7:00 a.m. For those who want to get an early start on the day, arrive at the Meadow Parking Lot at 7:00 a.m. for the The Meadow, Museum, Fire Tower to Michigan 6-mile run. Same run as above, earlier start time.

This Saturday, April 19 at 8:00 a.m., meet at the Ward Pound Ridge Reservation Meadow Parking lot for and run one of two options. Option 1: run the The Meadow, Museum, Fire Tower to Michigan course as described above which is 6 miles or if you’re looking for a longer run, try your hand at Eleanor’s Escape but start at the Meadow and follow the BR trail to Kimberly Bridge and return from Michigan Road via FH. That’s about an 8.5 mile loop. Bring your own maps either way.

Next week is the Leatherman’s Loop but we’ll be back the week after that with more great runs.

Hope to see you Sunday.

Lee Willett

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April 13, Meadow Parking Lot

2 Weeks to Go Before Leatherman’s Loop

click for map page
click for map page

This Sunday, April 13 at 8:00 a.m., meet at the Ward Pound Ridge Reservation Meadow Parking lot for the only course check of the Leatherman’s Loop. If you’re running the race this year, this will be the only chance to run the course with the group and a great chance to get out and test the terrain. The water crossings are optional but not the Mud Flats so you might want to bring a second set of shoes to change into. I’m just sayin’.

Saturday, April 12, 12:30 p.m.
On Saturday, there will be a special 5-mile run starting at 12:30 from the Michigan Road Parking Lot going to Raven Rocks, the Leatherman’s Cave, and the Overlook (see the map here). After the run, head over to the opening reception of the Loop Photography Exhibition at the WPA gallery until 4:00, and see a screening of the “25 Years of the Leatherman’s Loop” documentary at 3:00 at the Trailside Museum.

Hope to see you this weekend.

Lee Willett

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April 6, Leonard Park

Leonard_to_Butler
7.7 Miles
Leonard_to_Butler
10 Miles
Leonard_to_Butler
13.1 Miles

This Sunday, April 6 at 8:00 a.m., meet at the gazebo at Leonard Park in Mt. Kisco (see map) when we tackle some different trails. We’ll start in Leonard park, go through Marsh Sanctuary, Merestead, and Butler Sanctuary. Runners will have a choice of various distances.

5 Mile Run: Take the course through Marsh and Merestead to the Butler loop.
7.7 Mile Run: Follow the Butler loop which adds 2.7 to the run for a total of 7.7 miles.
10 Mile Run: Cross the road to Westmoreland Sanctuary for a short loop.
13.1 Mile Run (approx): Anyone interested in going farther can try the Leonard Park to Westmoreland Greenbelt Half Marathon  which adds the perimeter course of Westmoreland.

There you have it— a host of great options through five different parks. Hope to see you out there.

Lee Willett

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March 30, Meadow Parking Lot

click for map page
click for map page

This Sunday, March 30 at 8:00 a.m., meet at Ward Pound Ridge Reservation Meadow Parking Lot (rain or shine) when we run the Meadow to Overlook loop. We’ll start from the Meadow lot and pass the Trailside Museum before heading into the southern portion of the reservation and returning via Schoolhouse Road. At about mile four, you might notice a slight incline—that would be to the Overlook where you’ll have a great view (and some serious training for the sand hill of the Leatherman’s Loop). I ran the course earlier this week and the trails are almost completely ice-free. With the rain expected over the next couple of days, I think they’ll be completely clear by Sunday.

Next Sunday we’ll meet at Leonard Park in Mt. Kisco for the Leonard Park to Butler run. I hope to see you out there.

Lee Willett

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March 23, Zofnass Family Preserve

zofnass_preserve
click for map page

This Sunday, March 23 at 8:00 a.m, meet at the Zofnass Family Preserve on Upper Shad Road in Pound Ridge (see Google Maps) when Tony Godino shows us a new preserve with a network of trails noted for its crags and rock outcrops. Meet at the main entrance and we’ll follow a perimeter loop making, as Tony said, “All right turns except for the left ones.” We’ll make a 6-mile loop counter-clockwise around the preserve but leaving off the orange, western loop. See the map page here. The trails are clearing up and the next couple of days of warm weather should melt even more of the ice. It’s perfect weather for running.

Only five more weeks before the Leatherman’s Loop. Hope to see you out there this Sunday.

Lee Willett

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March 16, Lewisboro Town Park

click for map page
click for map page

The trails have seen a bit of thawing this past week and with temperatures forecast to be in the 40s and 50s the next couple of days, I’m optimistic that the trails will be back to normal soon. That said, don’t hang up the YakTraks or screw shoes just yet. On Sunday, March 16 at 8:00 a.m., meet at the Lewisboro Town Park upper parking lot when we run a 5.3 mile course on some of the same trails you’ll run for the Leatherman’s Loop. About 25{accc40b09832ee94a70b9d38053be2da501a998c4b43b97565b1c370fb270371} of the trails are free of snow and ice already while the rest have been compacted, frozen, and thawed so that shoes with a little grip to them would be a real asset. By Sunday morning, we should have just about every terrain imaginable available—snow, ice, dirt, rock, gravel, mud, and stream (sorry folks, no lava).

For those interested in a longer road run on Saturday, March 15 at 8:00 a.m., meet at Reservoir Road behind the Katonah Art Museum and run the out-and-back course of 4.5, 6.5, or 9 miles.

Hope to see you on Sunday. Six weeks to the Leatherman’s Loop.

Lee Willett

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March 9, Reservoir Road, Katonah

click to enlarge
click to enlarge

With our usual trails in such poor shape, we’re going to switch things up this week with the option of some distance work. On Sunday, March 9 at 8:00 a.m., meet on Reservoir Road in Katonah (behind the Katonah Art Museum, See Google Map) and run 4.5, 6.5, or 9.0 mile out-and-back course to Maple Ave, Jay Street and Upper Hook Road. Your choice of distances but the turnaround at 121 yields a total of 9 miles. With some warmer temps moving in, hopefully we’ll be back on the trails again soon.

Hope to see you on Sunday. Seven weeks to the Leatherman’s Loop.

Lee Willett

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Continue reading

March 2, Michigan Road Lot

click for map page
click for map page

This Sunday, March 2 at 8:00 a.m, meet at the Ward Pound Ridge Reservation Michigan Road Parking lot when we run another double-loop course, this time in the southern part of the park. We’ll enter and make a complete loop on the green trail, returning near our starting point before following yellow for a second, smaller loop. I’ve run these trails this week multiple times and while they’re still uneven, the snow has been well compacted so it’s not such a struggle. If you want a little longer run, you can follow the green trail in the opposite direction for your second loop and finish the run as you started—that should bring the total run to about 6.8 miles. Or if you’re not feelin’ the love, you can continue on Michigan Road and add some distance on the pavement. Your call—lots of options this week.  Download a PDF here ››

Hope to see you out there this Sunday.

Lee Willett

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February 23, Meadow Parking Lot

WPR_5.5mi_MeadowNorthLoops
click for map page

This Sunday, February 23 at 8:00 a.m, meet at the Ward Pound Ridge Meadow Parking lot when we run a crazy double-loop course in the northern part of the park. The trails are still a challenge but I’ve managed to find a few in the northern part of the Reservation that have seen a fair amount of use so while still hilly, at least you won’t find yourself shin-deep in snow (for the most part). Download a PDF here ››

Still looking for a place to run next week. Stay tuned for details.

Hope to see you out there this Sunday.

Lee Willett

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