2023 Tussey mOUnTaiNBACK 50

Mile/50K Ultramarathon and Relay

Events Schedule

Saturday, Oct. 21

Toftrees Resort & Conference Center Hotel

1 Country Club Ln, State College, PA 16803

All

5:00-8:00 p.m.            Raffle Ticket Sales and Mountainback Merch Sale. Win a Rockhopper 29 Bike or 6 other great prizes! 100% of proceeds support the work of Nittany Greyhounds!

6:30-8:00 p.m.            Mountainback Pre-Race Dinner with special guest speaker Kaylee Frederick (RSVP).

Ultramarathoners

5:00-8:00 p.m.            Check-in (runner and driver), vehicle registration, packet pickup, drop bag drop-off. Please take care of these things on Saturday. There will not be time on race day.

Relay Teams

5:00-8:00 p.m.            Check-in (driver(s)), vehicle registration, team packet pickup. Please take care ofthese things on Saturday. There will not be time on race day.

Sunday, Oct. 22

Please plan to carpool to the start. As you arrive at Tussey Mountain, follow instructions for parking.

ARRIVAL TIME: All runners and teams should arrive at least 1:15 (75 minutes) before your start time.

ALL ULTRAMARATHONERS AND ALL RELAY TEAMS MUST CHECK IN ON RACE DAY!

WAVES: The race will start one wave at a time. The vehicles for your wave will be released to begin driving on the course BEFORE you start the race.

DRIVERS: Be sure your driver is aware of the start schedule and is ready to drive when the signal is given for VEHICLES to go. Be sure your vehicle has a full tank of gas.

Ultramarathoners – Wave 0

5:45-6:30 a.m.             50 Mile AND 50K Ultramarathoners check-in – runner and driver(s). 

                        Drop bags – deliver to check-in building by 6:15 a.m. at start area.

                                    Runner race photos – see race banner near check-in.

6:35 a.m.                     Support vehicle/driver instructions.

6:45 a.m.                     All vehicles released to drive to first (or third if desired) Aid Station

6:45 a.m.                     Toe the line! 50 milers under the banner and 50 km-ers near the batting cages.

6:50 a.m.                     National Anthem and race instructions

7:00 a.m.                     Ultramarathon Start

                                    Note cutoff times: TZ#7 (~30mi) by2:15pm; TZ#9 (~39.5mi) by4:30pm; TZ#11 (~46mi) by6pm

Relay Teams – Wave 1

6:45-7:30 a.m.             Wave 1 teams check-in – team captain and vehicle driver(s). 

6:30-7:15                     Team race photo – race banner near check-in.

7:15-7:30                     Final checks and boarding of vehicles

7:35                             At vehicles lot: Instructions to team captains

7:45                             Relay instructions to Leg 1 runners

7:50                             Vehicles released to drive to first Transition Zone

8:00 a.m.                     Relay Wave 1 Start

Relay Teams – Wave 2

7:15-8:00 a.m.             Wave 2 teams check-in – team captain and vehicle driver(s).

7:00-7:45                     Team race photo – near start area.

7:45-8:00                     Final checks and boarding of vehicles

8:05                             At vehicles lot: Instructions to team captains

8:15                             Relay instructions to Leg 1 runners

8:20                             Vehicles released to drive to first Transition Zone

8:30 a.m.                     Relay Wave 2 Start

Post-Race Celebration and Awards

12:45-7:00 p.m.         Post-race food (registered runners only)

Raffle Ticket Sales (need not be present to win) for 7 different prizes

Mountainback Race Merch (100% of sales support Nittany Greyhounds)

2:00-6:30 p.m.           Post-race beer (registered runners only)

3:00-6:00 p.m.            Runner massage therapy by Backcountry Spine & Sport

5:00 p.m.                    Awards to winning runners and teams

6:00 p.m.                    Raffle drawing and announcement of winners

7:00 p.m.                    Course closes

The link below for Race Day Timetable will be updated in September 2023 for the race weekend, Oct. 21-22, 2023. It applies only to that weekend.

All race-related events are listed, including the race-day timetable,* the Tussey Teasers and Discovery Training Series. The mOUnTaiNBACK race, and both series, are run on fire roads consisting of more than 82% packed gravel/dirt and less than 18% pavement. There are no trails on the courses.

The Tussey Teasers are a FREE series of timed recreational runs in Rothrock State Forest that take place from February through June on parts of the mOUnTaiNBACK course. The Teasers are ideal for anyone ready to discover for the first time - or get back to - some superb running venues. The six Tussey Teaser runs include water provided and some random awards. One, the Beidleheimer Sidewinder 10K & 20K, includes age- and gender-adjusted (WMA style) results to level the playing field. Runners completing Teasers #1-5 (February's Teaser #0 is a bonus) at are eligible for a grand prize. Here is the 2023 Teasers schedule. Click the links for each race to get the flyer and waiver form for each run.

The 2023 Discovery Series covers the course in the counterclockwise (CCW) direction (the course's original direction.)

MAY THE FOREST BE WITH YOU!

For runners interested in training on the Tussey mOUnTaiNBACK 50 Mile Relay and Ultramarathon course, or just some beautiful runs on rolling forest roads, this staged series of weekly runs covers the 12 legs of the 50-mile course, one or two at a time. The 8-week schedule is provided below. There are no trails on these runs or on the 50-mile or 50K race course.

Runs are on Saturday mornings, and runners meet at various locations, as noted below. Runs will begin at 8:00 a.m. each week. We love to have people volunteer to shuttle runners from the meeting area to the start of the race but this is something that is typically arranged by the participants that show up that day. Shuttles are NOT provided by the event organizer.

Go here for a flyer on the Discovery Series. You can view a course map here, which includes links to leg descriptions and an elevation profile.

For more information, contact Mike Casper at email info@tusseymountainback.com.