For a detailed course map, see the PDF attachment at the bottom of this page. Each loop is 20.7 miles and includes two small loops. Each smaller loop is composed of a leg running north and a return leg running south:
Eastern Loop - 10.7 miles:
- Leg A is marked in yellow in the attached map and is approximately 5 miles long. The end of this leg is the Turtle Rock picnic area.
- Leg B is marked in teal in the attached map and is approximately 5.7 miles long. This leg returns to the start finish area at Locust Grove.
Western Loop - 10 miles:
- Leg C is marked in pink in the attached map and is approximately 5 miles long. This leg ends at the Mayapple Hill picnic area.
- Leg D is marked in blue in the attached map and is approximately 5 miles long. This leg returns to the start/finish area at Locust Grove.
Trail Marking
This is an informal Fat Ass event, so trail marking will probably not
be as good as many of the events you have run in the past. We have a
great group of volunteers who have offered to mark the course using bleached flour, but you
should be prepared to use the attached map and your navigation skills. Remember, there are two ridges running north/south with a valley in between. In the attached map, north is pointing to the right. Run north, south, north, south.
Elevation Profile - each loop includes 1,300' of ascent. There are 5 "named" hills on each 20.7 mile loop (see map markers in pdf attachment at bottom of this web page) : - "6 Minute Hill" (Sunset Road) starts about a half mile into the course at marker #5.
- "Openmouth" (Openwood Road) starts around mile 7 at Hemlock Falls or marker #23
- "Monster" (West Ridge Road) starts around mile 11 at Hawk Hill or marker #35
- "Twilight" (unnamed) starts around mile 18 just south of the intersection of South Orange Ave. and Brookside Dr. or marker #48.
Trail Surface and TerrainIn short, this course has a little bit of everything:
- Long stretches of double-wide woods road
- Meandering single-wide trail
- A short half-mile stretch of pavement
- Miles of soft dirt interlaced with ankle twisting rocks. If there is rain leading up to the day of the race or during the race, it will be almost impossible to avoid certain patches of mud.
- Good combination of level pathes, rolling hills, moderate climbs, and a few very steep ascents and descents
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