Oil Creek 100 Trail Runs

 
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Oil Creek 100 Trail Runs
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No alcohol or pets - we risk losing the right to use the middle school otherwise


 RRCA's 100 mile "PA Ultra Trail Championship"
  • All races will use a 50K loop course run in a counterclockwise direction, using primarily the main yellow loop (yellow blazes on the trees) of the single-track Gerard Hiking Trail (GHT) between Titusville Middle School (TMS) in downtown Titusville and the park office in Petroleum Center.
50K:              7 AM start      1 loop from TMS to AS # 2 in Petroleum Center PA           5,459 feet elevation gain

100K:            6 AM start      2 loop from TMS to AS # 2 in Petroleum Center PA         11,010 feet elevation gain        

100.6 miler:  5 AM start      3 loops + 7.7 mile "Acid Works headed home" loop         17,785 feet elevation gain
  • The pre-race announcements will be in the cafeteria beginning 15 minutes before each race's start.  We will then walk outside to the courtyard in the rear of the school about 5 minutes before each race starts and start promptly at 5, 6, and 7 AM.
  • All races begin with a 3.55 mile section of asphalt (a very short section of Titusville side streets and the paved bike path - and much of this can be run on the side of it in the dirt / grass) to allow some spacing between runners before hitting the single track trail at the Boughton suspension bridge intersection.   This paved section and the 3 staggered start times should help to alleviate trail congestion.
  • The beginning and ending 1.25 miles of subsequent loop(s) - if any - will be on the flat asphalt bike path and side streets that run between Oil Creek State Park and Titusville Middle School (TMS) located in downtown Titusville.  The short sections of side streets that lead from TMS narrow upon entering the paved bike / walking path that leads to Oil Creek State Park, so be prepared at the start of the race for this narrower section:
  • The 100.6 miler has roughly 87.1 miles of trail and a short amount of dirt road (87%), and 13.5 miles (13%) of asphalt (and less if you run on the side of the asphalt bike path in the dirt / grass).
    • 3 loops of the 50K from TMS to Egbert Farm picnic pavilion in Petroleum Center PA, in counter-clockwise direction (south on the west Gerard Hiking Trail and then back north on the east Gerard Hiking Trail)
    • Your resolve to keep going will be tested 3 times as you visit AS # 4 at TMS, the race HQ and start / finish line.  It will be VERY tempting to DNF here and head for the showers - be prepared for this mentally and get your aid as quickly as possible and then get back out on the course
    • An additional short 7.5 mile "Boughton Acid Works headed home" loop.  You will be crossing Oil Creek on a suspension bridge just like the citizens of Boughton used when going home after a day of work at the Boughton Acid Works in the 1860's.  Only the 100 milers use this special "headed home" loop.

  • The 100K has roughly 54.25 miles of trail and dirt roads (88%), and 7.75 miles (12%) of asphalt (and less if you run on the side of the asphalt bike path in the dirt / grass).
    • 2 loops of the 50K from TMS to Egbert Farm picnic pavilion in Petroleum Center PA, in counter-clockwise direction (south on the west Gerard Hiking Trail and then back north on the east Gerard Hiking Trail)
    • Your resolve to keep going will be tested once as you visit AS # 4 at TMS, the race HQ and start / finish line.  It will be VERY tempting to DNF here and head for the showers - be prepared for this mentally and get your aid as quickly as possible and then get back out on the course

  • The 50K has roughly 26.25 miles of trail and dirt roads (84%), and 4.85 miles (16%) of asphalt (and less if you run on the side of the asphalt bike path in the dirt / grass).
  • There are 4 main staffed aid stations and 5 unstaffed water-only aid stations & checkpoints.  Therefore, water will be available every 3 to 5 miles with the possible exception of the 7 miles between TMS and AS # 1 (we will try to get water to this trail location)  - but there will be no cups, only gallon jugs of Culligan water (recommend you use a hand held water bottle). 
  • The yellow blazes on the trees that mark the main Gerard Hiking Trail will have these supplemental fluorescent pink & reflective silver striped marking flags to guide the way, especially during darkness:


  • COURSE OVERVIEW - the park map below displays OCSP as east / west oriented to make it easier to read but it really is situated north / south as the maps & elevation profiles above show.  The blue arrows indicate the start of the races on the paved bike path to allow room for the runners to spread out before hitting the single-track trail.  The red arrows show the trail that subsequent loop(s) will be run on for the 50 & 100 mile races only (50K runners finish after one loop at the rear of TMS where the race started). 






  • COURSE OVERVIEW - cross country ski area - 1/2 mile out and 1/2 mile back on the red XC ski trail.  See the Spectators page for more details of this XC ski area.




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Elevation profiles using USGS data, not GPS calculations, of major sections - BonesInMotion (BiMactive.com)

Start of ALL races - TMS to Boughton Bridge intersection and then up hill to west GHT - 3.55 miles - essentially flat section along a few short side streets and then the asphalt rails-to-trail bike path that you can run on the side of for the most part (the blue arrows on the course overview at the bottom of this page)  - Asphalt (can run on side in dirt / grass) - 436' ascent / 278' descent
 





You will pass the historic site of the Boughton Acid Works.  All runners will run north past this empty area that looks like the scene of a fire but is really the result of sulfuric acid leaching into the soil.  In addition, 100 mile participants will run south past this site a second time on their last 7.75 mile "headed home" loop and actually use the suspension bridge over Oil Creek that is mentioned in the story below - just like the citizens of Boughton did in the 1860's to return home after a day of labor at the acid works.  From the book "Hiking Pennsylvania" by John Young:





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Boughton Bridge white alt. trail intersection on west GHT to Wolfkiel Run AS #1 - 3.6 miles - Single-track trail - 600' ascent / 836' descent 




Wolfkiel Run picnic pavilion AS #1 - runner's perspective from west Gerard hiking trail.  The paved bike path is in the background with a small bridge over Wolfkiel Run on the left side of the photo - that is where the restroom is located:
 


 
Wolfkiel Run restroom is about 50 to 75 yards from the aid station so it will cost you a few minutes of time to use the restroom at this aid station.  Portable toilets may not be possible due to it being 1/4 mile from Miller Farm Road:






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Your hosts for aid station # 2 - Titusville VFW, post 5958 - welcomes you!


 
Wolfkiel Run AS #1 to Egbert Farm AS #2 - AS #2 is the turnaround point, 2nd drop bag location and the other crew accessible aid station at the Petroleum Center park office - 6.9 miles - Single-track trail / short distance on dirt road - 1282' ascent / 1335' descent


 


Runners will pass by the 35' replica oil derricks at Benninghoff Farm - the inspiration for the logo and finisher's award belt buckle - about a mile from Egbert Farm AS #2.  The derricks will be illuminated on Saturday night for the 100 mile participants to enjoy.




Egbert Farm AS #2 is reached by running a short distance on a dirt road (Old Petroleum Center Rd) and crossing over this one lane steel bridge (use the right side of the bridge where safety cones will be placed) - use caution when crossing at the same time as a car.  The aid station is about 1/4 mile past the bridge on the right side of the road:




Egbert Farm AS #2 picnic pavilion behind restroom, about 1/4 mile past the one lane steel bridge on the right:





Leave Egbert Farm AS #2 by crossing the road at this brown sign, heading for the oil derrick, and then left toward the park office and that propane gas tank:

There is a small sign marking the entrance to the trail between the park office and the propane tank.  Follow that up the hill until you intersect with the main yellow east Gerard hiking trail, follow it north toward Cow Run and Miller Farm Road AS # 3:



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Egbert Farm AS #2 to Cow Run Shelter (unstaffed water-only station & restroom) - run back north toward Titusville on the east GHT - 5.9 miles - Single-track trail, some easier XC ski trail  - 1148' ascent / 872' descent





Benninghoff Farm oil derricks from the scenic overlook all runners will be routed past.  The derricks will be illuminated on Saturday night :





Cow Run shelters & rest room - unstaffed water only aid station / checkpoint - between staffed AS # 2 and AS # 3:







Cow Run Shelter to AS # 3 Miller Farm Rd bridge - 3.8 miles - Single-track trail, short dirt road distance  - 685' ascent / 898' descent





Miller Farm Road bridge AS #3 from runner's perspective after running down the dirt MF Rd to reach it.  AS will be in the left parking lot where the fisherman are around the pickup truck - between the OC&T railroad tracks and the bridge.  Portable toilet(s) will be available.  See the October OC&TRR schedule to see when you might encounter a passing train (very short duration). After checking in at the aid station, runners will return to the steps you see on the right of the picture and head up the hill past the cemetery:


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Miller Farm Rd AS #3 to Jersey Bridge parking lot at north end of park - 6.1 miles - Single-track trail - 1246' ascent / 1171' descent






 

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Your hosts for aid station # 4 - Titusville Rotary Club - welcomes you!


Jersey Bridge to TMS finish line (for 50K runners) or AS #4 for 100K & 100 mile participants - 1.25 miles  - Asphalt (can run on side in dirt / grass) - essentially flat - 82' ascent / 82' descent




TMS AS # 4 is for 100K & 100 mile participants only and is on the far right side of this photo under the bright orange kitchen loading dock overhang with the 2 cement pillars:



TMS AS # 4 will be reached by running along the side of the grass on S Brown St, past the Coach John Heisman tribute at the corner of the lawn, on the sidewalk along Water St to the kitchen loading dock patio. Those finishing the race (50K one loop runners and later loop 100K & 100 mile finishers) will instead use the bus drop off road at the rear of the school where you started the race rather than going to the aid station:





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100K & 100 mile races only - subsequent loop(s) at the north end of the park begin with this section (the red arrows on the course overview at the top of this page) - Jersey Bridge parking lot to Boughton Bridge white alt. trail intersection on west GHT - 2 miles - Single-track trail - 495' ascent / 301' descent 
 
 
 
 


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100 mile participants only - 4th small loop - "Boughton Acid Works Headed Home" Loop - Jersey Bridge canoe launch parking lot loop - 5.15 miles  - primarily single track (plus the 1.3 miles to / from the middle school - 7.75 miles total) - 971' ascent / 967' descent






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Photos section of the Yahoo discussion group - including park & topographic maps for some of the photos

Oil Creek has an elevation of 1150' at the north end of the park and 1050' and at the south end while the (steep) hills on each side of the valley are generally in the 1450' - 1575' range.





Most races have trees to contend with, but the Gerard hiking trail also has an 1860's oil pipe in the historic Pioneer area to step over to remind you are trail running in the birthplace of the oil industry