East Fork - Bethel

East Fork 100 mi / 100K / 50K / 15 mi : Bethel, OH

East Fork offers four trail race distances around William H. Harsha Lake in East Fork State Park: a 15 mile out-and-back and looped courses that cover roughly one, two, or three full loops of a ~33 mile circuit. The looped courses place runners on single track, mountain bike trails, portions of park road, meadows, pine forest with a waterfall, and several creek crossings. The 50K is about 33.7 miles, the 100K about 67.4 miles, and the 100 mile distance measures approximately 101.1 miles.

The event operates multiple aid stations along the course including a staffed start/finish main aid, unmanned water stations, and fully manned stations with toilets, drop bag access at the Nature Center Aid Station, and limited crew access at specified locations. Crews and pacers have restricted access rules; pacers are allowed for 100K and 100 mile runners starting on the second loop. There is a 40 hour overall cutoff for the 100 mile and 100K events, a 40 hour cutoff for the 50K, and a 12 hour cutoff for the 15 mile race; the Nature Center Aid Station includes a hard cutoff on later loops.

The race is cupless: participants must carry their own bottles or hydration bladders and a reusable cup for station drinks. Mandatory gear includes a headlamp or waist light with spare power, a cell phone, a container for at least one liter of liquid, and an emergency poncho or rain jacket. Packet pickup is at the start/finish area. Registration closes August 31. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.