Events
Belmar Bridge Half Marathon
Description
Experience the Only Race at the Sandy Creek Trail!
The Sandy Creek Trail, located in Venango County, is a stunning rail trail. The trail was developed from 2000 to 2005 when the former Franklin and Clearfield Railroad was converted to the now 12-mile paved trail. The Sandy Creek Trail winds its way along the Allegheny River and East Sandy Creek. The rail trail travels through the nearly untouched wilderness of Venango County, Pennsylvania. The trail boasts an impressive 8 bridges.
"You couldn't ask for anything better" - Karen M. 2021 Participant
The Belmar Bridge is the most breathtaking feature of the Sandy Creek Trail. At 1385 feet long, this wooden deck bridge crosses the Allegheny River and offers sweeping views of the river valley.
"The Belmar bridge over the Allegheny River is one of the most spectacular views I've ever encountered..." -Brody TrailLink
Not only does this trail feature bridges, but it has a tunnel as well – the Deep Valley Tunnel – that is. This tunnel is another focal point of the trail and is 967 feet long. Ten percent of your race registration fee supports the Allegheny Valley Trails Association (AVTA), a volunteer, non-profit organization that continues to maintain and develop recreational trails throughout the Oil Heritage Region of Pennsylvania.
"It’s impossible to resist the urge to stop and take in the view." - Pittsburgh Magazine
30 Minute Window Start:
All participants will have the option to start their race at any point from 8:00 am to 8:30 am in order to aid social distancing. The start will be chip timed so there is no penalty to starting later. All results will be based on net (chip) time.
Restrooms & Aid Stations:
- Portable restrooms will be placed near the start/finish area and along the course.
Aid Stations with refreshments and first aid kits will be available along the course. - Race Parking will be available along Belmar Acres Road.
Awards:
Awards will be given to the Top 3 Overall Male and Female Open & Masters Finishers as well as the top 3 male and female finishers in the following age groups: 18-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60+. There will be no in-person award ceremony. All awards will be mailed.
Packet Pickup:
Packet pickup will be from 6:30 AM to 8:00 AM at the Start/Finish Area.
"The Course was very well marked and safe" - Shannon R. 2020 Participant
Course:
Out & back on the flat, paved Sandy Creek Trail. Course Time Limit 4 hours.
Directions:
The Belmar trailhead is at Belmar Village on the west side of the River. Access is from Route 8, 3 miles south of Franklin. Turn on Pone Lane and drive past Franklin High School to Belmar Road. Turn right and follow it to the parking area at the foot of the hill with the river and bridge in sight. GPS N 41 19.983 W 79 46.467
Pricing
Early: $65 (March 13 – April 30)
Regular: $80 (May 1 – July 31)
Late: $95 (August 1 – October 15)
*Price may increase at any time. Event is capped at 250 participants.
Travel
Lodging Options (Distance from Start/Finish Area)
- Quality Inn & Conference Center (7.1 miles)
- Knights Inn Franklin (8.4 miles)
- Holiday Inn Express Franklin - Oil City (10.4 miles)
Flights
Check for flights into these local airports:
International
- Erie International Airport (ERI)
- Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT)
- Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE)
Regional/Domestic
- Venango Regional Airport (FKL)
- DuBois Regional Airport (DUJ)
- Northeast Ohio Regional Airport (JFN)
Local Attractions
DeBence Antique Music World (7.1 miles)
Venango Museum of Art, Science & Industry (14.5 miles)
Freedom Falls & Rockland Tunnel (21.8 miles)
Oil Creek State Park (21.8 miles)
Dennison Point Overlook (22.9 miles)
Kennerdell Overlook (24.2 miles)
Drake Well Museum (28.3 miles)
Course Records
Male Overall: Jeffery Eide (Seminole, FL) 1:17:32.29 (2020)
Female Overall: Morgan Camerlo (Hidden Valley, PA) 1:24:06.41 (2020)
Male Masters: Tommy McNear (Negley, OH) 1:32:04.85 (2020)
Female Masters: Angie Jenny (Grove City, PA) 1:26:04.63 (2022)
Travel Time from Regional Cities
Franklin, PA - 15 minutes
Oil City, PA - 30 minutes
Grove City, PA - 35 minutes
Butler, PA - 60 minutes
Cranberry Township, PA - 70 minutes
Youngstown, OH - 70 minutes
Erie, PA - 90 minutes
Pittsburgh, PA - 90 minutes
Cleveland, OH - 2 hrs 15 min
Morgantown, WV - 2 hrs 30 min
Buffalo, NY - 2 hrs 45 min
Harrisburg, PA - 3 hrs 45 min
Health & Safety
At Wolf Creek Race Management, we take the health and safety of our participants very seriously. We will do everything in our power to offer a safe and fun event for all participants. We have taken several steps to ensure the safety of all participants, staff members, volunteers, and spectators. These steps include:
Open Start Window
Providing pre-packaged food and drinks
Making hand sanitizer readily available
Having EMS on site
Keeping staff spaced out on the course to provide on course assistance
Sweeping the course to ensure all participants finish safely
FAQs
Is there a course time limit?
- Yes, participants in the Half Marathon must run under 4 hours.
Is there an awards ceremony?
- No, all medals will be mailed post-race and should arrive within 2-4 weeks depending on your location.
Can I walk?
- Absolutely, as long as you can finish the race in the given course time limit.
Will there be race day registration?
- No.
Are pets allowed?
- No.
Are strollers allowed?
- No.
Race Contact Info
If you have any questions about this race, click the button below.
Directions
Sandy Creek Trail - Belmar Bridge Trail Head
Race Participant Survey
Please complete the following survey to help us better understand your race experience.
