‘Just incredible’: Over 500 participate in annual Boulder Beast Challenge
PHOTO BY EMILY SHAFFER Olivia Johnson, 25, of Lock Haven, is all smiles as she takes on the Boulder Beast challenge.
PHOTO PROVIDED Boulder Beast 25k winners Kenny Young, 38, of Tunkhannock, and Eileen Maney, of Bellefonte, are pictured with their prized first-place finisher awards.
PHOTO PROVIDED Clinton County residents Kylie Sikorskas, left, and Tammy Rachau, right, of Mill Hall, share a celebratory moment at the finish line. Both women completed the full 24-mile course this past weekend.
PHOTO PROVIDED PA Trail Dog volunteer Patti Kossack helped rehydrate runners like John Luchansky, of Fairless Hills, Pa., at the mile 8 aid station where the 25k course splits off from the 24-miler. Patti opted to volunteer at this event, though she often runs the trail races as well.
PHOTO BY EMILY SHAFFER Participants traverse the Boulder Beast race course on Saturday.
PHOTO BY EMILY SHAFFER Olivia Johnson, 25, of Lock Haven, is all smiles as she takes on the Boulder Beast challenge.
PHOTO PROVIDED Boulder Beast 25k winners Kenny Young, 38, of Tunkhannock, and Eileen Maney, of Bellefonte, are pictured with their prized first-place finisher awards.
PHOTO PROVIDED Clinton County residents Kylie Sikorskas, left, and Tammy Rachau, right, of Mill Hall, share a celebratory moment at the finish line. Both women completed the full 24-mile course this past weekend.
PHOTO PROVIDED PA Trail Dog volunteer Patti Kossack helped rehydrate runners like John Luchansky, of Fairless Hills, Pa., at the mile 8 aid station where the 25k course splits off from the 24-miler. Patti opted to volunteer at this event, though she often runs the trail races as well.
PHOTO BY EMILY SHAFFER Participants traverse the Boulder Beast race course on Saturday.
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LOCK HAVEN -- The start line of this year's annual Boulder Beast trail race was abuzz with nervous energy as runners took off at 7 a.m., but that same space became a finish area with a sea of happy faces just a few short hours later.
The event, held Saturday, sold out well in advance with 600 participants registered to test their mettle on these local trails, known for both their beauty and difficulty. Competitors traveled from all over Pennsylvania as well as 15 other states to toe the Boulder Beast start line this year, including as far as Alabama, Utah, California and Washington state.
While runners might have enjoyed the cooler temps earlier in the day, they were also treated to 100 percent humidity as they navigated through the varying terrain.
With participants tackling multiple hills, rocks, roots and stream crossings throughout the race, humid weather was only a small part of the challenge this weekend.
The nearly mile-long boulder field climb on Bald Eagle Mountain is the signature of this well-known trail event, and it's something very few runners forget.
Ben Robinson, 30, of Tunkhannock, finished the 24-mile Boulder Beast course in 4 hours, 2 minutes. A former runner at Lock Haven University, Ben said this finish was especially meaningful for him.
"In college, we used to always cheer participants on at the top of the boulders, so this race has always meant a lot to me. I love it out there," Robinson said.
Tammy Rachau, 49, of Mill Hall, finished sixth overall in the 24-mile course, and was the first female to cross the line.
She appreciated all the work that went into the Boulder Beast, noting, "It's refreshing to come to a race and know that the course will be well-groomed, the aid stations will be fully stocked, and the entire event will be well-done from start to finish."
That work is credited to the PA Trail Dogs group, led by race director, Craig Fleming, a Lock Haven local.
First place finisher in the 25k course went to Kenny Young, 38, of Tunkhannock, Pa., with a time of 2 hours, 28 minutes. This was Kenny's first time running the Boulder Beast, and he said it rivaled the Hyner Trail Challenge in both difficulty and beauty.
"It was really hard to feel efficient on that boulder climb, but the views on this course were just incredible," Young said. "At the top of Rote Overlook I had to take a moment to just stop and soak it all in."
Crossing the line as the first female finisher of the 25k course was Eileen Maney, 37, of Bellefonte, with a time of 2 hours, 56 minutes.
She summed up her first experience at the Boulder Beast, commenting, "It was a really inspiring event, seeing so many friends and strangers come together to overcome a challenge. I saw so much kindness, camaraderie and genuine happiness celebrating everyone's accomplishment on crossing the finish line. It was incredible to be a part of that!"
With 230 runners opting for the longer 24-mile distance and 262 participants taking on the 25k course, the event had just shy of 500 runners in total successfully completing Saturday's trail challenge.
In addition to the reputable race course, finishers also had the opportunity to receive a post-run treatment from one of the on-site masseuses, which included local business owners Aidan and Sophia Gscheidle of Silver Bullet Wellness in Lock Haven.
Race Director, Craig Fleming of the PA Trail Dogs reported the day as a success, crediting the many volunteers for their time and effort, both leading up to the event and on Saturday.
"The volunteers are what make the Boulder Beast," said Fleming. "From helping to clear and maintain the trails to managing the aid stations to assisting with registration and cleanup -- they are essential to this event's success. We couldn't have a better team of people out here making it all go."
Official race results are available at falconracetiming.com.
For more info on the Boulder Beast and other PA Trail Dog events, visit patraildogs.com.