TARCkey Trot 6 Hour

This race is a 6 hour timed race on a 5K(ish) loop at the beautiful Wright Locke Farm. Each 5K loop has plenty of rocks and rollers to keep you paying attention. Come out, hang out with our goat friends, and run as many (or as few) loops as you wish within the 6 hour time limit.

TARCkey Trot Course Map & Downloadable GPX File

Volunteer Opportunities: if you can't run, consider joining the crowd in the Wright Locke Barn!

Course Markings:

The course will be well marked with flagging all along the trails and with signs at any major intersections so that participants can easily stay on route (as long as they are paying attention!). Participants should be sure to review both the course maps and the course description beforehand to understand the general layout of the course. We recommend participants also download the GPX file and load it onto their GPS watches if they have one for additional reassurance. If you go off course on race day, you must backtrack, as opposed to making up your own version of the course. Review of GPS files will be done if it is believed the course was not followed by any given participant. Participants found to have not done the course as marked may be unable to get an official finish time. Please let the volunteers know at the aid station if there are any navigation issues and we will work with you and others to sort them out.

Aid Station: We will have one aid station inside the barn at the start/finish of every loop. Please note this is a cupless race and you will need to bring your own hydration system (bottle/cup/vest/etc.). Run with fluids if you think you will need additional hydration than once per loop.

Leave No Trace: Our events have a Leave No Trace policy. Please adhere to the Leave No Trace principles during the duration of the event (and we hope whenever you are out in nature).

Schedule:

Saturday, November 16, 2024 | Race Day

7:00 a.m. | Bib Pick Up Opens

7:45 a.m. | Prerace Briefing

8:00 a.m. | Race Start (& Yeti Howl!)

2:00 p.m. | Course Closes for All Participants

Cost & Registration:

We keep the cost of all TARC events low to try and make our events as accessible as we can. The cost of the event is $35. Please see below for information on our discounted youth entries. Our event profits are donated to land conservations & trusts in support of our trail running passion. Please reach out if the cost is in any way a barrier to you. We want everyone to have the opportunity to experience the incredible trails and community at our event.

No race day registration is offered, and online registration closes around one week before. We recommend registering early in advance, as this event will sell out.

Pregnancy Deferral Policy:

We understand there are many barriers for new parents and pregnant runners within the sport of trail running. Participants who become pregnant prior to race day or are the parents to a recent newborn can defer their entry to our event for up to two years. The race reserves the right to require additional proof of pregnancy. Please reach out to the Race Director at least one week prior to race day to process your deferral.

Refund Policy:

TARC races maintain a no refund policy. There will be no refunds for any reason. Any requests for a refund will be politely directed to this blurb. Please consider your race entry a donation to the trails, but one where you also get a chance to challenge yourself physically and mentally while taking in all the beauty the landscape has to offer.

USATF Mountain/Ultra/Trail Running Youth Initiative:

To raise awareness of trail races among young runners and increase participation, the American Trail Running Association has partnered with the USATF MUT Youth Initiative to create a “Youth Trail Certified Program” for race directors. The Trail Animals Running Club is one of the early adopters of their program, and we offer discounted entries ($10 off) across all distances for youth 19 years old or under.

Please reach out to the RD you are looking to register yourself or someone else through this program.

Trail Sisters Approved Event:

The TARCkey Trot is proud to be Trail Sisters Approved! The commitment includes, when applicable, equal podium spots, equal prize money & awards, women’s specific swag & apparel, menstrual products at aid station parta potties (where applicable), and equal opportunity/space for women on the starting line. You can learn more about the standards and their awesome organization here.

Pride on Foot Partner:

Pride on Foot works with run groups, race directors, and fitness organizations who want to understand how to be more accepting and inclusive of Transgender, Genderqueer Intersex, Gender non conforming, and Non binary people. Through education and policy changes they create affirming, inviting, and safe spaces where everyone can be free to workout while living an authentic life.

We welcome the participation of adaptive athletes at our event!

Adaptive athletes must be able to run the course.Tethers and guides may be used for athletes with a visual impairment.Leg prosthetics may be used for amputees.Crutches, braces, or poles may be used if indicated/necessary, with approval from the Race Director.Please reach out with any questions or to let us know how we can best support you and your race day needs.Guides for adaptive athletes can register as participants if they want their own time/result.

Volunteer Opportunities:

We need volunteers to help make this special day happen and to give our participants the experience they deserve! This includes help with bib pickup, course directing, aid stations, course sweeping, start/finish area support, parking guidance, etc. Volunteers are what make TARC events so fun and also run so smoothly. No experience is required, and it can be your first time attending one of our events! If you are bringing along family or friends to spectate, we encourage them to also get involved by volunteering. If you are running one of the shorter races, consider hanging around to help out afterward. Even if you can't make it on the day of the race, there are still opportunities to get involved. If you need service requirements for other races, we can also sign off on your hours! If we get enough folks, too, it's never a problem for our volunteers to become "course marshals" and get some running in on the trails. All we ask is you help fill up some water bottles and tell runners they look awesome.

Please reach out if you or your organization are interested in volunteering. We welcome running clubs, hiking groups, sports teams, local businesses, and more to join us in November.

View and register for the various shifts here.

Participant Camaraderie:

Whether you are competing for the win or bringing up the rear of the pack, we are all out on the trails to have fun and move our bodies in nature. All of our participants are incredible for just getting to the starting line, and you all have impressive journeys for getting there. On race day, we hope you will be everyone else's top cheerleader, cheering on and providing support for one another throughout the morning. Be sure to spread the love and joy with your fellow trail animals. We also welcome and encourage you to bring chairs and stick around after your own race to cheer on other participants as they come through the finish.

Running in the Woods & Weather:

Please prepare for all manner of weather, insects, critters, trail rash, etc! Historically, this race has had nice, cool temperatures! In New England, we have to prepare for the worst and hope for the best!

Community Resources:

Looking for folks to run and train with? Here are some local groups:

TARC Blue Hills & Great Brook Farm State Park Monthly Group Runs

Northeast Trail Crew Weekly Runs

Pioneers Run Crew Weekly Runs

Unnamed Run Crew Weekly Runs

Berkshire Trailheads

Forest Hills Runners

Lynn Woods Running Crew

Somerville Road Runners

Wampanoag Road Runners

Tri Valley Front Runners

Greater Framingham Running Club

Looking for trail shoes and gear? Here are some local stores we recommend:

Marathon Sports (multiple locations)

Heartbreak Hill Running Company (multiple locations)

Fleet Feet/JackRabbit (multiple locations)

Recreation Equipment Inc. (multiple locations)

New England Running Company & Trail (Beverly)

Charles River Running (Norwood)

Who We Are:

The Trail Animals Running Club is a nonprofit running club rooted in the Boston area. We aim to act as community stewards by providing equitable access to trail running and promoting positive trail running culture. We welcome people of all races, nationalities, ethnicities, sexual orientations, gender identities & expressions, ages, and abilities. Our event profits are donated to land conservations & trusts in support of our trail running passion. You can RSVP for emails about our runs here.

Trail Animals Running Club Apparel:

You can purchase our fun club apparel here! We are working on offering additional apparel which will be added to this page!

History of the TARCkey Trot:

Held on Nov 19, 2016

Held on Nov 18, 2017

Held on Nov 18, 2018

Held on Nov 16, 2019

Scheduled on Nov 14, 2020 (canceled)

Held on Nov 13, 2021

Held on Nov 12, 2022

Held on Nov 11, 2023

Scheduled on Nov 16, 2024