Training runs

1st 2022 supported group outing - Saturday Aug 6th - 6 AM til 3 PM - start from wherever & whenever - link to Facebook event to attend event.

There will be Culligan water and organic bananas just before Miller Farm Rd at the end of section 3, at Jersey Bridge parking lot (end of section 4 / start of section 1), at AS # 1 at Wolfkill Run picnic area (end of section 1 / start of section 2). I will put some trail marking materials out at the key road intersections where you have to turn - otherwise keep going straight on the main yellow-blazed Gerard Hiking Trail.

NOTE - there is a newish (2019 or 2020ish?) water bottle / hydration backpack fountain in front of the park office, across from the Egbert Farm AS#2 entrance in Petroleum Center PA.

All group training outings

- have a bear bell with you in case you get separate from a group that typically makes a lot of noise, especially

during the summer group training runs - roughly $2 at WalMart - sporting goods / camping section

- See the COURSE page for elevation profiles and photos of the aid stations

- recommended you run the Gerard hiking trail in counter-clockwise direction like the race will be run

- bring a handheld or waist pack water bottle(s), or wear a hydration backpack

- some sections may be wet / muddy so bring an extra pair of socks along with you if you are susceptible to

blisters

- trail shoes are recommended

- Cow Run and Wolfkiel / Wolfkill Run shelters have 30 gallon chlorinated water tanks in case you run out of water

- we will have a few different groups leaving behind one another so there will be a pace for everyone to enjoy,

from elite runners that push right along to the walk-the-hills slower paced folks like Tom the RD will be in

- Tom will put 1 gallon CULLIGAN water jugs at the Wolfkiel Run picnic pavilion (race AS # 1 - start of section 2) that sits

between the paved bike path and the west Gerard hiking trail as well as on the steps by AS # 3 Miller Farm Rd bridge

which is the start of section 4 north toward Drake Well Museum / Jersey Bridge canoe launch parking lot

Mileage options starting from Jersey Bridge canoe launch parking lot near Drake Well museum at the north end of the park:

- directions from the north - McDonalds in downtown Titusville to Jersey Bridge parking lot

- directions from the south - center of the bridge on Rt 8 in Oil City to Jersey Bridge parking lot - 16 miles

- Note: there is only a portable toilet at this location, so please visit the McDonald's restroom (for example) before driving the extra mile to the parking lot. This is a large portable toilet so you can change into / out of your running clothes in it if you like.

- 5 mile loop from the Jersey Bridge parking lot south on the west Gerard hiking trail (the GHT entrance is about 1/4 mile or so up the hill of the paved bike path). Go 2 miles south to the first white alternate trail which leads to the Boughton suspension bridge over Oil Creek. Cross the bridge and work your way up the fairly steep switchback hill to the east GHT. Turn left (north) and follow the main yellow blazed east GHT back to Jersey Bridge. Note this is the "going home" or "headed home" loop that 100 milers finish with.

- 10 miles - run the above 5 mile loop twice

- 12 mile loop at north end of park (this is sections 1 & 4 of the OC100 course) from Jersey Bridge canoe launch parking lot (near Drake Well Museum) to

AS # 1 Wolfkiel Run and AS # 3 Miller Farm Rd bridge, then back to Jersey Bridge

- 17 miles by doing the above two loops (sections 1 & 4 as well as the "going home" or "headed home" loop that 100 milers finish with)

- 28 mile loop to Petroleum Center and back - note that you will follow the white alternate trail blazes along Old Petroleum Center Rd (dirt road section) from the west GHT to the park office in Petroleum Center, then the white trail up the muddy hill between the park office and the propane tank (small sign marks the trail entrance). Then follow the main yellow blazes on the east GHT to the left (north) and work your way back north to Jersey Bridge parking lot. See the COURSE page for photos of this section. This is all 4 sections of the race course.

Mileage options starting from Egbert Farm picnic area (AS # 2) at Petroleum Center - probably the most challenging section of the park.

- directions from the north - McDonalds in downtown Titusville to Egbert Farm picnic area

- directions from the south - center of the bridge on Rt 8 in Oil City to Egbert Farm picnic area

- 6.75 mile loop between Petroleum Center and the Pioneer area that has a very steep short climb, perhaps the steepest in the park

- 8 mile southern "Wildcat Hollow" loop to Rynd Farm and back (this 8 mile loop is not part of the race course)

- 16 mile loop to Miller Farm Rd bridge and back (sections 3 and 2 of the course if you run it counterclockwise like we do for the race)

- 20 to 22 mile loop to Miller Farm Rd bridge, then up steps by bridge (start of section 4 of the course) north toward Jersey Bridge for 2 or 3 miles and

then turn around and return to the main 16 mile loop section.

- 24 miles: 16 mile loop to Miller Farm Rd bridge and back + 8 mile southern "Wildcat Hollow" loop to Rynd Farm and back (this 8 mile

southern loop is not part of the race course

- 28 mile loop to Jersey Bridge canoe launch parking lot (near Drake Well museum) at the north end of the park in

Titusvill. This is all 4 sections of the race course.

Shorter 6.75 mile Petroleum Center / Pioneer area loop (some parts of it are not on the race course)

- Directions to do the 7ish mile loop:

1) head up the white trail hill beside the park office (across the road from Egbert Farm picnic area). There is

a large propane tank at the entrance to the trail and it goes up a hill that gets increasingly steep.

2) after going by some large boulders you will intersect with the main yellow Gerard hiking trail (GHT) - follow

it north (Cow Run sign)

3) the yellow GHT will intersect with the red XC ski trail, it will have both blazes on trees, red & yellow

4) after a few miles of following the yellow GHT, you'll come to a large wooden sign that points to the left

for Petroleum Center / bike path. It is the white alternate trail down to the bike path - it has a very steep

climb in one section for about 50 or 75 yards - perhaps steepest hill in the park.

5) when you reach the paved bike path, turn right (north) and go over the bridge over Oil Creek.

6) at the end of the bridge is a white trail for historic Pioneer, turn left onto that white trail

7) follow this white trail up the hill and to the left (away from the Pioneer parking lot signs). It will intersect

the west GHT main yellow trail by some wooden steps. Keep going straight, do not go up the steps as this

leads north toward Drake Well Museum / Jersey Bridge

8) follow the west GHT south, going past the Benninghoff Farm oil derricks, across a paved road (Petroleum Center

Rd) until you get to the next dirt road (Old Petroleum Center Rd). Turn left, there will be signs there that say

Petroleum Center - and it is marked by white blazes. DO NOT go up the Wildcat Hollow hill that is straight across

the roadway and has a large sign with a picture of a white tail deer on it.

9) you'll cross railroad tracks, the one lane Petroleum Center bridge and then right into Egbert Farm picnic area

NOTE: on steps 6) & 7) - if you miss this white trail, the Pioneer Rd parking lot is just a ways past it (north) so you can

go up that dirt road for a little ways until you see a white alternate trail leading to the left by an old cement

building. Follow that up the hill until you get back on the west GHT at the wooden steps (go straight, not right

up the steps).

PRIOR OUTINGS:

1st 2021 supported group outing - Saturday July 3rd - 6 AM til 3 PM - start from wherever & whenever

2020 - no organized events due to COVID-19 and race canceled

2nd 2019 supported group outing - Saturday Aug 10th - 7 AM til 3 PM - start from wherever & whenever - link to Facebook event to attend event. ** OILFEST weekend so parade, activities downtown at Scheide Park **

1st 2019 supported group outing - Saturday June 1 - 7 AM til 3 PM - Petroleum Center parking lot, Miller Farm Rd Bridge, or middle school parking lot- link to Facebook event to attend event. ** JERSEY BRIDGE PARKING LOT will be closed for Drake Well Museum / National Trail Days activities **

2nd (and final) 2018 supported group outing - Saturday Sept 1 - 7 AM - Jersey Bridge parking lot - or wherever / whenever you want experience on the trails - link to Facebook event to attend event.

1st 2018 supported group outing - Saturday June 30th - 7 AM - Jersey Bridge parking lot, Petroleum Center AS # 2 or whereve you want experience on the trails - link to Facebook event to attend event.

3rd & final 2017 supported group outing - Saturday August 26th - 7 AM

Our largest ever with around 75 people attending! Cool temps (upper 40's to mid-50's) in the morning made for perfect morning running temps, and this it warmed to around 71 in the afternoon.

100 mile entrant Clyde Ferguson of Lockport NY fueling up at AS3 on Miller Farm Rd (photo by Roger Niethe):

2nd 2017 supported group outing - Saturday July 22nd - 7 AM

One of our largest! Close to 20 people went out on the "unofficial" night run - some doing the full 27.5ish mile full trail loop and others doing one or more sections of the course - plus 45 or 50 people for the daytime group run on Saturday. There were 30+ cars at Jersey Bridge, 15 cars at Petroleum Center, and the usual Miller Farm Rd bridge area. The state of Indiana was represented by some of our 100 mile entrants that came to scope the trail out. Some told me they got into trail running because of these supported group training outings

First 2017 supported group outing - Saturday July 1st - 7 AM - Jersey Bridge parking lot just before one lane bridge over Oil Creek to Drake Well Museum - link to Facebook event to attend event.

The usual 50 to 60 runners / hikers on the trail today despite the early morning thunderstorms during aid station setup and during tear-down at 6 PM - RD's wife Rita Jennings making the 4 large containers of PB&J sandwiches!

4th and FINAL supported group outing - Saturday Sep 7, 2013 - 8 AM - Jersey Bridge parking lot in the north - supported outing - bananas and Culligan water every 6 to 9 miles

3rd 2013 supported outing - Saturday Aug 3, 2013 - 7 AM - Jersey Bridge parking lot in the north - supported outing - bananas and Culligan water every 6 to 9 miles

2nd 2013 supported outing - Saturday July 6, 2013 - 7 AM - Egbert Farm picnic area in Petroleum Center PA where the park office is located - or start from Jersey Bridge parking lot in the north) - supported outing - bananas and Culligan water every 6 to 9 miles

1st 2013 supported outing - Saturday June 1, 2013 - 8 AM - Egbert Farm picnic area in Petroleum Center PA where the park office is located - or start from Jersey Bridge parking lot in the north) - supported outing - bananas and Culligan water every 6 to 9 miles

I estimate we had 25 to 30 people on the trails for our first supported group outing - sooooo humid, and it got up to 83 degrees in the afternoon.

Sunday Sept 23, 2012 - 8 AM - Egbert Farm picnic area in Petroleum Center PA where the park office is located - or start from Jersey Bridge parking lot in the north) - supported outing - bananas and Culligan water every 6 to 9 miles

Saturday August 4, 2012 - 7 AM - 50 to 60 people attended

Saturday July 7, 2012 - 7 AM - our largest group outing yet with over 50 people attending - and temps in the low 90's!

Petroleum Center group - July 7, 2012, 7 AM. 20+ also started at 7 AM from Jersey Bridge parking lot (no pictures unfortunately).

Saturday May 19, 2012 - 8 AM - Egbert Farm picnic area in Petroleum Center PA where the park office is located (or start from Jersey Bridge parking lot in the north) - supported outing

Friday April 6, 2012 - 8 AM - Egbert Farm picnic area in Petroleum Center PA where the park office is located - supported outing

Saturday August 27, 2011 - 8 AM - Egbert Farm picnic area in Petroleum Center PA where the park office is located - supported outing

A greap group showed up for the group run .

Saturday July 2, 2011 - 8 AM - Egbert Farm picnic area in Petroleum Center PA where the park office is located - supported outing

A nice sized group showed up for the group run on 7/2.

Saturday June 18, 2011 - 8 AM - Jersey Bridge canoe launch parking lot (just before Drake Well Museum) - supported outing

You can do the 12 mile loop (sections 1 and 5), or the shorter 5 mile loop ("headed home" loop 4 for 100 milers) or any combination of those loops and / or out-and-backs for any distance.

Saturday May 28, 2011 - 8 AM - Petroleum Center's Egbert Farm picnic area

Close to 30 people showed up for our group run / hike - not all were in the picture.

Saturday May 21, 2011 - 9 AM - Petroleum Center's Egbert Farm picnic area - UNsupported outing

You can do the 16ish mile loop (sections 3 and 2), or the shorter 7 mile loop. There will be a picnic afterwards as well.

Saturday April 23, 2011 - 9 AM - Jersey Bridge - unsupported outing

Around 33 people got together for a great run & hike in the mud.

Saturday Jul 3, 2010

7:15 AM - 24 of us got together for a great run & hike - 3 started from Jersey Bridge earlier in the morning, and 21 of us met up at Egbert Farm picnic area where AS # 2 is located in Petroleum Center:

Saturday Aug 8, 2009

7:15 AM - 20 of us got together for a great 8, 16 and 28 mile outing, and one other runner ran Thursday & Friday Aug 6th / 7th on the trails. The trail photos are the uphill climb out of Egbert Farm picnic area (AS # 2) at the park office / Petroleum Center.