Trail Run At Indian Lake

Join us on Oct 5th for the Trail Run At Indian Lake!

Important updates for this year:

SWAG is OPT-IN: To keep entry fees lower, SWAG is an add-on $15. We are excited about tech shirts from Recover Brands made from 100% recycled polyester, with a focus on environmental and social responsibility. Here's a link to size charts.

Race Routes - TBD:

We are waiting on a (delayed) completion of a pedestrian tunnel under Hwy 19, giving the long course access to the Halfway Prairie property to the north. If the tunnel is completed this summer and the county approves, we will have new race routes! The LONG course will increase to ~15km and we will reduce the SHORT course to ~5km.

If we cannot access the Halfway Prairie property, we will stick with the 12km/LONG and 7km/SHORT routes from last year.

Course Description:

Starting in a beautifully restored sedge meadow in the wetlands surrounding Indian Lake - a kettle lake created in the retreat of the last glaciers, you'll soon trade the prairie path for trees and dirt. And hills. Indian Lake County Park marks the extent of the last glaciation, meaning you can expect the steeper slopes associated with the Driftless Region, and we make full use of these slopes for the run!

Part of the route joins the Ice Age Trail National Scenic Trail (which traverses the entire glacial extent across Wisconsin). 

New routes for 2024 will take the LONG course runners under Hwy 19 to explore Dane County Parks' Halfway Prairie Wildlife Area before returning to Indian Lake. **pending highway project completion and course approval**

As you trek through the forested middle of the course, reflect that Dane County Parks will be purchasing 300 acres south of the current boundary and start dreaming of more hills!

As you work towards the end of the race, take a moment to appreciate the active oak savanna restoration that is underway. Oak savanna used to dominate the landscape here, but is now incredibly rare. Through the work of county staff and Friends of Indian Lake volunteers, restoration of 170-acres of oak savanna is in progress!

The T.R.A.I.L. is Cup-Free!

Nothing kills the vibe of running through the forest like coming up on an aid station littered with discarded single-use cups. Sure, our volunteers would clean up afterwards, but in an effort to reduce our impact on the natural areas we love, we are going cup-free!

There will not be paper cups at aid stations or at the start/finish. If you expect needing hydration on-course, you are responsible for bringing your own cup/bottle/bladder. We will have water dispensers at aid stations to top-off.

Going cup-free is a significant step to bringing our event closer to zero-waste and being better stewards of our public lands. 

Check out this resource for why and how to go cup-free: https://nuunlife.com/blogs/news/byoc-ace-your-next-cupless-race

After Party

Our celebration of Fall, trails, and Indian Lake doesn't end at the finish line! The Currach Irish Trio will once again be headlining while we enjoy food, beverage, and awards.

Schedule (subject to minor change)

TBD (Wed Oct 2 or Thurs Oct 3)
- Time TBD - Early packet pick-up at Movin' Shoes (https://g.page/movinshoes?share)

Saturday, Oct 5th 
- 7:30 AM - Race HQ is open for packet pick-up
- 8:30 AM - Free Kids Run 
- 9:00 AM - LONG & SHORT race start 
~ 10:00 AM - Awards, Raffle, and Live Music for SHORT course
~ 10:30 AM - Awards, Raffle, and Live Music for LONG course

Join the Friends of Indian Lake for a celebration of Fall, trail running, community, and public lands! All proceeds support the Friends’ work with Dane County Parks to preserve and enhance Indian Lake County Park.