Steel City Human vs Horse
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Steel City Human vs Horse
Steel City Human vs Horse is part of a three day endurance festival at Hillman State Park near Pittsburgh, held in Burgettstown, PA. The festival pairs trail running and equestrian endurance events on shared trails and offers free primitive camping for horses and people from Thursday through Sunday.
Distances for both runners and riders include:
- Half Marathon (13 miles)
- 50k (listed as a 30 mile limited distance option)
- 50 miles
The course is a mix of single track, gravel road, and grassy meadow. Route geometry uses an 18 mile loop and a 13 mile loop; the 50 mile course runs 18 + 13 + 18 miles and the 50k uses an 18 mile loop plus a 13 mile loop. Aid stations are placed approximately every 5 to 7 miles. Runners do not need prior horse experience, and all participants must attend a pre-race safety meeting to review trail etiquette.
A new 50 mile runner relay allows teams of 2 to 5 with exchanges after loops and at a midpoint aid station; the relay is limited to 10 teams. The equestrian competition is sanctioned by the American Endurance Ride Conference and will follow AERC rules. Time limits and cutoffs are specified for runners and riders and the event will run rain or shine; hazardous trail conditions may trigger reroutes to gravel roads.
Administrative notes include a $25 late entry fee after July 11, refund and distance-switching rules with deadlines, and free bib transfers and horse changes until July 27. Organizers will refund an entry and reserve a spot the following year for pregnancy or postpartum cancellations. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
