green lakes endurance runs 100 km & 50 km trail marathons

Green Lakes Endurance Runs
Race Office
120 Edgemere Ln
Fayetteville, NY 13066-2207
United States
ph: (315) 415-5562 voice mail
admin@gleruns.org

The Course

The 12.5 km course has a varied trail surface. Two ascents and one long descent traverse the upland forest. These steep shaded trails have some roots, ruts, and stones. The trails in the upper meadows are mostly grassy, rolling, and unshaded. The meadows are referred to as the Serengeti. Each lap's 4 miles of running in the Serengeti can make for a challenging summer ultra if Mother Nature offers a warm sunny day. The lake trails are shaded, have a few roots and are generally flat. Overall, the course lends itself to quick running without technical hikes.

The picture above is the view from the start as it faces south. It is on the north end of Green Lake. The Great Room building is on the left, and Green Lake is to the right. Race start is the only time the runners will pass by the right side of the building. The runners will enter the main aid station and run around the left side of the building on each subsequent lap. Click here for 94 Course Photos.

12.5 km equals 7.77 miles. The race goes clockwise around the 3 main sections of the course which are joined together by 2 connecting trails. The sections are:
1. Green Lake ( about 2 miles)
2. Round Lake ( about 1 mile)
3. The Meadows, aka The Serengeti, and upland forest ( about 4.75 miles)
The 2 connecting trails are each about 150 meters long. One connects Green Lake to Round Lake. One connects Round Lake to the upland forest trails that lead to the Serengeti. As the races progress, the connecting trails will have two way traffic with some runners going out and some on their way back.
One aid station is at the start and one is at the far end of the course on the Serengeti. Two additional fluid stations will be used if temps go over 80F. You are encouraged to carry a bottle.
The course was measured seven feet long with a calibrated Jones Counter on a mountain bike in the spring of 2007.
Google Earth view of the course - left click image
MapSource view of the course - left click image
Garmin Edge 305 Course Profile. Approximate 800 feet elevation climb and descent each 12.5 km loop - left click image
This blown-up map of the beach area represents about a half mile of the 7.77 mile course. As the runners return to the beach area, they head up the west shore. The trail course changes to a paved walkway at the blue line. The first of the two bathrooms is directly on the course. It's here that the runners turn right off the pavement onto grass for about 100 meters before returning to paved walkway.
Before reaching the Great Room, there are more bathrooms at the beach house. The runners easily reach them by leaving the course briefly, adding about 75 meters to the race. Leaving the course on the purple alternate route (on the map) is the only allowed route to these beach house bathrooms.
Looking north from the south end of Green Lake. Between 1 km and 1 mile marks.
The 1st connecting trail - from Green Lake to Round Lake. Approaching 1 mile mark.
The footbridge at the far end of Round Lake just before the course turns left up the 2nd connecting trail - through the upland forest to the Serengeti. Shortly after 2 km mark.
Looking up the connecting trail from Round Lake
This is the top of the connecting trail. The runners heading out go straight then left over that footbridge ahead. The runners returning from the Serengeti are coming downhill from the right.
The Serengeti (the meadows) is full of wildlife. In sharp contrast to the old growth forest, this former farmland has grasses and pioneer trees. These trails provide panoramic views. A second aid station is positioned up here midway on the course.
Once the loop in the Serengeti is complete, the runners return to the lake trails, descending through the upland forest. Some trail racing experience and caution is needed here. 9 km mark.
Once back to the scenic lake trail, the runners turn left to continue the clockwise course around the lakes - about 6 mile mark.
The runners may have heard song birds and the pounding of a Pileated Woodpecker while out on the course. They will now hear cheers (and hopefully the clanking of Joe's cow bell) as they return to the main aid station at the Great Room. About a half mile to go.