Raven 100k Challenge

Raven 100k Challenge

The Raven 100k Challenge is simple: first, register for the challenge. Then run, hike, or walk 100k during the month of November 2020.

Note: You can register as late as November 15 and enter your mileage to date when you register.

This works out to an average of around 3k per day or 25k (15 miles) per week.

When you sign up, we will send you your Raven Challenge Gift. If you complete the challenge, you will receive a wooden finisher medallion. Shirts are optional.

The Raven 100k Challenge supports the Friends of Trailside Museum and Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, a 501(c)3 not for profit organization based at the Trailside Museum at Ward Pound Ridge Reservation.

You can also join the Friends of Trailside Museum and Ward Pound Ridge Reservation for 2021 membership during signup.

Bonus achievements

In addition to running, walking, or hiking 100k during November, there are several bonus achievement badges you can unlock if you are able: 

• Run 10k on the Raven Rocks Run course (raven badge)
• Run 5x 10k on the Raven Rocks Run course (ultra raven badge)
• Run 10x 10k on the Raven Rocks Run course (flock badge)
• Take a selfie at the Raven Rocks Overlook and send it in (photographer badge)
• Take a selfie at any Raven related site, store, zoo, etc. and send it in (traveler badge)
• Submit a photo of yourself on a run with your "I Voted" sticker or if you can't vote in the election, next to someone with an "I Voted" sticker. (bald eagle badge) 
• Submit a photo of you running on Thanksgiving (turkey badge)
• Photo of a raven anywhere (raven citizen award)
• Do a run in the dark to Raven Rocks (night owl badge)
• 200k distance in November (snowy owl badge)
• 300k distance in November (white raven badge)
• Read a stanza from Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven" poem and send us a link. Use soundcloud, youtube, facebook, whatever service you want. (wise owl badge)
• These badges will be displayed on your results page. We are hoping to incorporate the badges on the physical wooden finisher "medallion" once you complete the Raven Challenge. 
• Any other badge ideas? We are open to suggestions :) 

In addition, we will have awards for:

• First 3 men and First 3 women to 100k
• Top 3 men and Top 3 women in total kilometers.
• Note: In order to win these awards distance submissions need to be made via GPX files. See instructions on RunSignUp Raven 100k Challenge page.

Halfway bonus search

For those in the area near Ward Pound Ridge Reservation we have a special treat in mind. After you pass the 50 kilometer mark on your Raven 100k Challenge, we will send you GPS coordinates to somewhere in the park where we have hidden a small surprise for you to find. It will be obvious once you get there, but not easy to find unless you have the coordinates.

Everyone will have a different and unique spot somewhere in the park. Some will be further off-trail than others depending on how familiar you are with the park. 

Let us know when you find your halfway bonus (or if you can't find it!).

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Original Raven Rocks Run info below - in person race suspended for 2020. See ravenrocksrun.org website for details.

The Raven Rocks Run is a challenging 10k trail run at Ward Pound Ridge Reservation in Cross River, NY.

The sixth running of the race will be this coming November. There will be two participation options.

{Cancelled} First option is in-person Sunday, November 8th, 2020 with rolling 15 minute starts (for groups of up to 25 runners) from 8 am - 10:30 am. {Cancelled} 

Second option is a virtual option where you can run the actual course any time between Thursday, November 5th and Monday, November 9th, 2020. 

The race will start in the Meadow next to the parking lot. This is different than past years to accommodate the rolling starts. The course passes by the spot where the Leatherman’s Loop begins. Instead of heading towards the river as the Loop does, the Raven Rocks Run 10k course climbs up to the two highest points in the park (Raven Rocks Overlook and the Fire Tower Summit) before heading back for a (mostly) downhill and (relatively) flat finish.

The course passes by the site of the former Blue Trail fire tower which is the highest point in the park. We are working towards getting back the tower to its former spot in the park. See Course Map page for course details.

More information about the race and tower project is on the About page and the FAQ page of our ravenrocksrun.org website.

{Cancelled} We are looking forward to November when we will run this event for the SIXTH time -- and we hope we can accommodate all who wish to run and keep everyone socially distant and COVID-safe! {Cancelled} 

Important: Our race plans are contingent on approval from the Westchester County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Conservation. If the COVID-19 situation changes and this approval is revoked and we are unable to offer the in-person event, we will still have the virtual race on-site at the park and we will expand the dates the course is marked to allow for two weekends to complete the race. We will also offer race registration fee refund or deferrals to 2021 for runners no questions asked. If we have placed the shirt order before a refund is requested we will send the race shirt via mail to the runner.