Race for the Refuge

Race for the Refuge

The Highland City Striders welcome you to explore the trails at the Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge in Sudbury, MA! The Race for the Refuge begins at the ARNWR Visitor’s Center and traverses the beautiful trails around the Refuge. The course will lead runners into this idyllic nature refuge, past ponds, through pine and oak forests, and alongside mysterious military bunkers.

Course Description

The double track trails are hard-packed earth and gravel and the loop includes about 2.5 miles of pavement and 140 feet of elevation gain, with a gentle hill about 2 miles in and a spicier one at mile 5. It’s a great course for beginner trail runners. For the advanced trail runner, it could be an opportunity for a new PR!

Events

The lineup features a 1-mile walk guided by the Friends of Woodlands and Waters, 10K (1 loop) and 30K (3 loops) races, and 3-hour and 6-hour timed events.

For the timed courses, runners may do as many loops as desired. A loop must be completed by 12pm (for the 3-hour) and by 3pm (for the 6-hour) to be counted towards final mileage. Ranking of runners is determined by the runner who completes the most loops in the shortest period of time. Runners in the 6-hour race must start their last lap by 2pm.

The top male, female, and nonbinary runner from each of the events (10k, 30k, 3-hour, and 6-hour) will receive a prize. The largest team will also be celebrated, so please encourage friends and fellow club members to join you!

Race Day Rules

Pacers are not allowed. Dogs are not permitted on Refuge lands, so please leave your pooch at home. This event is family-friendly but children must be supervised.

Tread lightly through the refuge and please leave no trace! This will be a cupless race to eliminate waste on the course. Any fuel, such as gel packets, should be carried in and packed out. Due to the delicate ecosystem any littering is grounds for immediate disqualification. All runners must stay on the marked course.

Thanks for keeping our wild spaces wild!

Aid Stations and Course Marking

There will be two aid stations with typical trail race fare including water, hydration, hydration mix, pretzels, orange slices, banana halves, Swedish fish, coke, and ginger ale. The main aid station will be at the Start/Finish line. A second aid station at Taylor Road is about halfway through the loop. Note this is a cupless race. 

All runners will receive a branded collapsible cup with registration! Pop it in your vest or pocket before you start!

The course will be marked for the runners with stake flags, cones, and mile marker signs. Two course marshals will be posted at key turns.  

Cancelation and Refunds

There are no deferrals and no refunds. Your entry fee will be considered a charitable donation and used for nature education and trail improvements. Thank you for your support.

About the Refuge

Centuries ago, these lands were hunted and fished by Nipmuc Tribes. Later, they were farmed by colonists, intersected by a railroad, and used for military training. You will run past military bunkers that were in use when the area was known as the Sudbury Training Annex, which was part of Fort Devens. The US Army transferred the land to the US Fish and Wildlife Service in 2000, establishing the Refuge.

Since then, the Refuge has become home to freshwater wetlands, oak and pine forest, and shrubland that support many types of wildlife, including wading birds, songbirds, raptors, beaver, bobcat, white-tailed deer, and various reptiles and amphibians.

Proceeds from this race will help fund improvements to three refuge sites in MA and a volunteer coordinator who will assist visitors to the refuge with nature education and programming.

Presented by the Highland City Striders
We are runners in Hudson, Marlborough, and surrounding communities. Founded in 2002, our members meet several times weekly to run various distances for fun and to keep in shape! We run, recover, have fun, and laugh together. The Highland City Striders is a non-profit 501(C)3. All race profits will go to local charities. 

We are also working closely with Friends of Woodlands and Waters, a non-profit working in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to support our refuges. Check out their site to learn more and get involved!