Social-Distancer Trail Challenge 2020 - an ACTUAL running event!

In this time of hoarding toilet paper and abandoning all self-imposed gluten intolerances, let us not forget social-distanceng has been practiced by avid trail runners since the beginning of time.  We know the house that God built is everywhere a dirt trail takes you!  The Social-Distance Trail Challenge is a celebration of you, the trail runner, and follows all government imposed distancing requirements.  This is actual distance, put under your feet, in the out-of-doors, on real dirt trail! Your dreadmill miles mean nothing here. 

Here's the deets:

There are five separate trail "Event" courses, four of them within Newark, DE. All of them are an opportunity to get outside, possibly of your comfort zone, and explore.  The first four "Events" are all lollipop loops, meaning it's an out and back start/finish but at the loop, you choose the direction you want to take!  Try and get a better time in either direction, or the same each time - doesn't matter for scoring, your fastest time counts in the end!

All the maps are posted below.  You have until June 1, 2020 to run any or all of these courses. Post results/pictures to the event's private Facebook group page (you will gain access upon registration) in comments or email directly with visual proof of distance/time/location so that I can keep track of/post official results.  Official results will be updated each week on Wednesdays by 5PM. 

ANYONE registered after April 15th will not get the finisher mug! 

1. Run any or all five of the courses as many times as you like before June 1, 2020, your fastest time will be your official time.

2. Run the course in any direction you choose*, they are mostly specific lollipop trail loops, all have the same start/finish location, but it is up to you stay on the specified course.  Part of the adventure! *The King/Queen of the Hill award will only be a awarded for the fastest proven time UP the hill!

3. Run courses solo or in small groups but of course, keep your distance!

4. Your results from each run must be posted to the Facebook page (must be registered to gain access) or emailed/messaged directly for it to be considered in the Challenge scoring.  Scoreboard will be posted to the Facebook group and displayed here once results start coming in.

5. Anyone that completes three of the five courses will be mailed the official 2020 Social-Distancer Trail Challenge mug (Must be registered by April 15th).  There will be special prizes in multiple categories, also shipped, for overall M/F in the categories listed below (Must be registered by April 15th to be considered for awards).

Awards

Overall M/F fastest combined aggregate time from all FIVE Events

Overall M/F fastest TRIPLE CROWN (fastest combined aggregate from the three pre-selected TRIPLE CROWN events labeled below)

King/Queen of the Hill- fastest M/F up hill from approx. mile 8.4 to 9.5 on the Ches-Len Monster course, Event #5. You must be able to show/prove your time from this segment specifically for this award.... really making you work for it!

Overall M/F fastest Ches-Len Monster course finishers, as the course is mapped (won't be eligible for award if run in opposite direction, but will count towards finisher swag). 

Overall M/F to complete all five events in the least amount of days (not time on course).  

Courses - You do not have to run events in order.  You can run any course multiple times, your fastest time will be used for scoring. All distances are approximate.  Click on any "Event #" to see the map. printable maps are being added.  If you get off course, have fun! If you put in more mileage because you got off course, good for you!  

Event #1 (directional map): 

Start/Finish Snow Goose Trail access point from the bottom of the parking lot at Pike Creek Bible Church (199 Polly Drummond Hill Rd, Newark, DE 19711)  Follow Snow Goose Trail DOWN the hill cross the bridge, then turn either right (Tri-valley Trail) or left and follow the entire Lenape Trail perimeter. Be sure not take the Lenape Trail connector just outside the Frink Wildlife Center! If you run this loop clockwise you will stay left onto the Tri-valley Trail back to the bridge to return to start.

Event #2 (directional map): Triple Crown Course

Start/Finish Snow Goose Trail  access point from the bottom of the parking lot at Pike Creek Bible Church (199 Polly Drummond Hill Rd, Newark, DE 19711)  Follow Snow Goose Trail UP the hill staying left at the split onto the Chestnut Hill connector (remains Snow Goose Trail). Carefully cross Polly Drummond Rd at the crosswalk then turn either right or left and follow the entire Chestnut Hill Trail perimeter. Be sure not take the inner Chestnut Hill connector!

Event #3 (directional map): 

Start/Finish Snow Goose Trail  access point from the bottom of the parking lot at Pike Creek Bible Church (199 Polly Drummond Hill Rd, Newark, DE 19711) Follow Snow Goose Trail DOWN the hill crossing the bridge and turn right onto the Tri-valley Trail.  Turn right onto the Lenape Trail, then the next left onto Earth Day Trail. Earth Day Trail will run back into the Lenape Trail. Follow the trail into the creek underpass crossing under Paper Mill Road then turn left onto the Whitley Farms Trail.  Follow the Whitley Farms Trail perimeter binging you all the way back to WCC Lot 9 where you started the perimeter and follow the same trails back; Whitley Farms- Lenape - Earth Day-Lenape - Tri-valley - Snow Goose.

Event #4 (directional map): Triple Crown Course

Start/Finish Park at WCC Lot 405 Sharpless Rd, Landenberg, PA 19350 Start tracker leaving the lot right down Sharpless Rd, make left onto S. Bank Rd, then left onto the Creek Road Trail. Follow trail into Delaware, at the split make left onto Nature Preserve Trail, cross the White Clay Creek (yes your feet will get wet) and make a left or a right on the Charles Bailey Trail. If LEFT- follow CBT to Yeatmans Station Rd (will run into it) the make a RIGHT onto Boundary Line Trail (careful not to miss this trailhead, approx .25mile once you hit the pavement).  Turn RIGHT going up the paved hill when the trail exits the woods, you'll get onto the trail at the top of the hill.  Continue on Boundary Line (you'll have about a 1-mile downhill here) crossing over Thompson Station Rd and getting onto David English Trail, turn LEFT.  Follow David English outer perimeter (do no take the Connector trail at the top of the hill- stay left).  Once passing the park off DE Trail will follow along Thompson Station Rd.  Pay attention to the trail posts, as you will cross back over Thompson Station to gain access back onto the newly graveled portion of Charles Bailey Trail.  Follow CBT back to where you crossed the creek, cross back over, turn RIGHT and follow the Creek Road Trail back to the lot!  If you turn RIGHT after crossing the creek, which I don't prefer, read the directions from LEFT, and apply backwards.  Don't take the DE connector trail at the bottom of the hill by the park office.  

Event #5 (directional map): Ches-Len Monster 11.5 miles Triple Crown Course

Start/Finish Park at ChesLen Preserve 1199 Cannery Rd, Coatesville, PA 19320 This is a monster because you have to figure out how to run this from the map. After all, getting lost is the best way to discover somewhere! This is also the only course that has two of its own award categories, fastest to complete this course as it is mapped, and the King/Queen of the Hill which can only be completed as the course is mapped (and only awarded if you can prove your time from this segment), and it's also one of the TC courses.  Good Luck!