Due to one thing and another, we never quite got around to wrapping up the 2023 FLRC Trail Circuit. Sincere apologies for the delay!
Firstly, many of our new members may not know how the Trail Circuit works, so here’s the deal. The nine races traditionally included in the series are:
- Super Frosty Loomis Snowshoe (5K and 10K)
- Thom B Trail Runs (8.5 miles, 17 miles, and 26.2 miles)
- Lucifer’s Crossing (a non-FLRC event; 6.66 miles)
- Tortoise & Hare (6.7 miles)
- Finger Lakes 50s (25K, 50K, and 50 miles)
- Forest Frolic (7K and 15K)
- Forge the Gorge (3 miles and 8 miles)
- Monster Marathon and Half Marathon (13.1 miles and 26.2 miles)
- Danby Down & Dirty (10K and 23K)
For each race, every runner gets a score determined by dividing the winning time by their time, then multiplying by 100. So the winner gets 100 points, and everyone else receives a score under 100 (the FLRC Challenge uses the same scoring system.) The Trail Circuit has three categories:
- Pebblehead: The Pebblehead rankings are based on each runner’s top three races, and the Pebblehead awards are usually won by runners who’ve won or placed high in three races—Pebbleheads are our speedsters. The maximum score is 300 for anyone who wins three or more series races, and awards are given to the top man and woman. A tie is broken by calculating the average margin of victory.
- Stonehead: All qualifying races count, and scores are tallied cumulatively. The more races in the circuit you run, the more points you amass. Stoneheads may not be the fastest, but they’re our quintessential trail runners, grinding out solid race after solid race. Awards are given to the top man and woman. Rack up nine wins for a maximum score of 900.
- Boulderhead: The Boulderhead rankings use a simpler scoring system—1 mile equals 1 point, regardless of time or placement. The one runner who notches the most overall miles wins. This contest favors ultrarunners, especially those who are prolific racers. Finishing the longest distance at all nine series races earns a perfect score of 153.58…
A runner only needs to finish at least one Trail Circuit race to be included in the Stonehead and Boulderhead standings. Three or more finishes are required to receive a Pebblehead score. Standings are displayed on the Trail Circuit leaderboard.
Got all that? Great - now it’s time to celebrate our 2023 Trail Circuit winners!
The 2023 Trail Circuit saw 606 runners finish at least one race, though only eight races counted last year as Super Frosty Loomis was canceled due to a lack of snow.
Pebblehead Winners
Amelia Kaufman finished with a strong lead in the women’s Pebblehead, scoring 300 points to take the title. Nancy Kleinrock came in second with 276.97, with Janet Van Zoeren not far behind with 256.68 points.
Things were a little closer on the men’s side, with Dan Timmerman’s 300 points just beating Brian Lee’s 299.21 to the title. Glenn Seeholzer was hot on their heels with 294.55.
Stonehead Winners
Sarah Ridenour was our top women’s Stonehead, a title she’s claimed at least twice before. In 2023, she accumulated 499.74 points to take the win. Jessica Smith came in second with 475.72 points, and Nancy Kleinrock came in third with 448.99 points.
The first Stonehead for the men was Robert Swizdor with 660.70 points. Dan Timmerman and Brian Lee, our Pebblehead 1 and 2, rounded out the podium with 500 and 393.36 points, respectively.
Boulderhead Winner
In the Boulderhead contest, Stonehead runner-up Jessica Smith came out on top with 117.5 points! The margin between second and third place couldn’t have been much closer, with Jami Landry scoring 89.3 to Robert Swizdor’s 89.
Huge congratulations to each of the winners! I will be in touch directly to ensure that you are all united with your 2023 tote bag prizes:
And that brings us to 2024! As a lack of snow has once again led to the cancellation of Super Frosty Loomis, this year’s Trail Circuit will be an eight-race series starting with the Thom B Trail Runs in May and ending with the Danby Down & Dirty in October. If you’re keen to take part, keep your eyes on the FLRC forum—further details coming soon…