Use this topic for posts that will collect community stars for the Ludlowville Loop course. You can also ask questions or make comments about this course.
Here’s how it works.
Click the “Post Using This Template” button below to create a new post with a Story heading and boilerplate text.
Replace the boilerplate text with your report for one or both sections. The Story header is key for distinguishing between posts and replies—don’t change it.
Your post must be on the same calendar day as your run as entered in the leaderboard.
Story
To pick up a community star, replace this text with a write-up of what your run was like, a photo you took on the run, a link to your Strava track, or something similar. Don’t delete the Story heading above.
It was a pretty daunting morning with steady rain and fog so thick in Lansing that I almost turned back to find a safer place to run. I couldn’t see the traffic lights until I was practically under them. However, I had a workout on my schedule that was pretty perfect for this course so, in typical stubborn fashion, I forged ahead. Miraculously, the fog lifted as I kept driving and I ended up with clear visibility through the entire course. The rain was steady but not too heavy and I will take that over hot humid sun any day. Aside from running through the dairy farm, I love this course with so many beautiful waterways to admire. Luckily, there weren’t very many cars, because they really zoom on by.
I ran early and beat the rain this morning to finish the canonical ten. I forgot how fun this course is to run, especially the downhill from Buck Road to “downtown” Ludlowville when gravity does the work and I’m just along for the ride. It’s also my home course for the year, as I live about 200 meters from it (near the corner of Buck and Conlon). I recommend starting this route bright and early to avoid most of the traffic. For the two miles down Conlon the only sounds were a gentle breeze and multitudes of invisible songbirds somewhere off the side of the road.
I noticed the Leaderboard lists me as a Challenge finisher even though I’m still a long way from completing my Personal Challenge. Are there separate digital badges for the Classic Challenge and the Personal Challenge?
I recall this route from a few challenges ago, and the falls are beautiful. The only negatives were the loud shooting range gunshots and the gagworthy Walnut Ridge odors. I had to resort to my diaper-changing skills of long ago to breathe through my mouth to get by. These are just observations and notices to other challengers, and not complaints. Other than that, my four-footed companion and I had a nice jaunt this morning! Nice variety of challenge courses this year.
Take Me Home Country Roads
This is my favorite long road course of all the Challenge years! I think it is more country than the other courses. Once on the ridge, it is mostly farms and rolling fields. I encountered very little traffic most of the way. It also helps that it starts and finishes at a beautiful waterfall (note the blue sky)
I ran against a head wind most of the way to Brooks Hill road climb. Topping out on the climb presents excellent views. Clouds had rolled in and the view south was not great, but still had some nice views across the fields
As I neared Walnut Ridge Dairy, several “honey wagon” tanker trucks were periodically going by in both directions and hauling their load to some fields on Storm Road. After the turn and climb up Brown Hill road past the farm buildings, I could see where the tankers were being filled. Just past that I could hear something operating over a small rise from the road. I found an easy place to cross the grassy ditch and went up the rise to see a manure slurry lagoon larger than any back home.
Love the descent off Brown Hill road followed by the Gulf Road along the ravine. Quite strong waterfalls and cascades in there today. Run along the broad ridge top until getting back to town. Saw this wicked looking tree (photo is facing backwards on the course) - not sure what it is.
Finished up at the park, put on a jacket, and then sat on the swing overlooking the falls to have some hummus and chips, washed down with a Mountain Dew. Weather had changed to colder, cloudy, and windier than when I had started the run.
I live about 200 meters off the course, near where you turn right from Conlon onto Buck Road and start the big downhill (approx mile 8.9). Let me know if you plan to run this again and, if possible, I’ll leave some ice cream at the corner for ya.
I’m right near the start points for Ellis Hollow Creek Crossings, Triple Hump, and Pseudo Skunk Cabbage. Once we’re into the summer heat, if anyone is too hot, you’re welcome to soak your head in our pond.
Just me and the flox and the farmers and the cows (gazing balefully at me as if to say “Why are you running? Wouldn’t you be happier lying down here and chewing your cud with us?”). Had one deer cross Salmon Creek Rd about 100 yds ahead of me - and that was it.
have to admit that this is the type of course that when I was running lots of miles, I would’ve enjoyed what with the variations in scenery, the changes in elevation (sometimes rather steep, but that’s part of the challenge - particularly at the end of the run) and the general expansive views. Could clearly see Mt Pleasant in the distance while running on Conlon Rd, and caught glimpses of the lake on Buck Rd
It occasionally pished while I was running but not enough to be a nuisance or a help. The only real annoyance: the bugs at the park at the finish. They had a feast day until I got all the motorcycle gear on.
This course offers such beautiful views, and I was grateful to Adam for the long flat stretches. I saw a bald eagle flying overhead, a kingfisher and a Baltimore Oriole as well as the expected deer. I have to say that seeing the calves in their tiny pens at the dairy is so sobering, no judgement as I know that’s typical for the industry, but it always reminds me that I should start buying dairy products only from the farmers market (can anyone recommend a producer?)
Anyway, glad to get this one done before the heat wave. Stay cool friends.
I ran this today with fellow challenger @rebeccamlambert. I had signed up for this year’s classic ten-course challenge, and this was my last course. Challenge complete!
We had cool weather, good conversation, and a little drizzle. Any day when you can run 11 miles in the morning and enjoy a post-run breakfast burrito from Adam’s Café is a good one!
Like the previous time I ran this course, I again ran it in reverse as that Brooks Hill climb intimidates me. I think it was a good choice as I had the downhill, shade, and breeze in my face later in the run.
As I ran past the dairy, I reflected on my own experience with the dairy industry. My husband works in the industry, and we raise heifers (young cows that haven’t yet calves) on our small “hobby” farm. My children own several animals and are responsible for evening chores. They also help move electric fence for temporary pasture, clean the barns. This past week, my son was tedding the cut hay in the field. We also show cows at various shows; we’ll have animals at NYSF this week.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this run, but it went well. I cooled off in the creek after finishing.
It sure felt like fall this morning at a crisp 45° in Lansing at 5:30. I’ve lived in the area since 2014 and have always associated Ithaca Porchfest with the end of summer. Maybe it’s psychological, but I always notice a seemingly abrupt change in the weather in the few days following Porchfest. The upside is that we get to take advantage of the extra blood plasma accumulated during all those sweltering summer runs and run at a faster pace with the same effort level as a month ago.
I ran this to top 1,000 Challenge miles for the year — another milestone (excuse the pun!) toward my goal of 1,345.4 miles before the Challenge closes on November 15th. This would better my mileage total from the inaugural year, something I’ve been working toward since completing the 44th course on July 12th.
Today’s cool, clear, fall weather was perfect for a long tempo run so I decided to check Ludlowville Loop off my to-do list. I thought I could run this at about the same pace that I ran Dryden Lake Lollipop (6:18/mile).
I started with a 2-mile warm up jog, changed into old racing shoes, and started the course. The first three miles felt easy. Brooks Hill Road was just as difficult as I remembered from 2023. It sapped the energy from my legs and it took a mile or two to get back in the groove after I reached the top.
I made it to 9 miles feeling pretty good and decided to push for a couple of sub-6 miles on the generous downhills to finish things off. I finished strong in 1:08:18 (6:13/mile pace) to set a new course best (a big improvement over my 2023 course-leading time of 1:14:06).
This was the final course I needed to complete this year’s Challenge. Huzzah!
My original idea for a story was to post a picture of the sky at various miles around the Loop - and it would be a funny story because it was grey and cloudy all morning, so the photos would all look like this:
Then I thought better about it and decided to share some more colorful pictures from the Loop as well.
All in all, a perfect day for 11 miles: cloudy and cool, with a light misting here and there. I also wanted to relate that this course was brought to you by CORN - corn on the cob, corn in the field, corn being chopped, corn silage-filled trucks driving down the roads, and corn silage filling the concrete silos of the one massive dairy we run through.
Having lived on a small dairy farm in my youth, I was feeling nostalgic about the older barns and upright silos that I passed by. There were some beautiful farmsteads and I imagined how they used to be, back in the day. I miss those days spent tending to the cows or filling the hayloft with bales. I miss showing cattle at our local county fair as well and the whole agricultural fair culture. While I can’t fully go back to that life, I am grateful to have experienced it. 4H was a wonderful experience in Dutchess County… So, these were my thoughts during the miles along Conlon and Buck Roads.
Pretty sure it’s an Osage Tree. (The fruit looks like it anyway!) You should check it out now, as the fruit looks ripe. Just don’t get hit in the head by them. They’re huge!
Thanks, Gretchen! I’m sure you’re right about that. The fruit is very distinctive. I’m not used to seeing just a single tree. I’ve typically seen them in hedgerows or large hillside groves. Hoping to run past there again on Saturday.
