See you at the 2021 Blue Blaze Festival – Run or Hike, and celebrate the Buckeye Trail

The Blue Blaze Festival is more than a run. Join us for the 2021 Buckeye Trail – Blue Blaze Festival to celebrate the diversity of the BT. Although the trails in the Wayne National Forest sections are mostly single-track trail, there are many types of trail users. The Blue Blaze Festival will be highlighting the hiking and running community.

This year there will be four options for a distance and trail challenge right for you: Half Marathon, 10K, 5K run/walk and a 10 Mile BT Hike. All events are on the Buckeye Trail in the Wayne National Forest. The 5K course will be new for 2021, and will include the recently completed Woodthrush Loop Trail near Tecumseh Lake. The 10K and Half Marathon courses are out and back on the Buckeye Trail. Most of the course is on single-track trail, with some challenging and hilly conditions, and there are some sections on roads. The half marathon has over 1,000 feet of elevation change. The start and finish for all of the running events is in Shawnee, Ohio, near the Buckeye Trail Association office, 127B W. Main Street.

The 10 Mile Hike will start at the North Country Trailhead (see map) with hiker following the BT back to the BTA office in Shawnee. Hikers will shuttle to the start location at 8:00AM, leaving from Shawnee to head out to the NCT trailhead. The Half Marathon race will start at 9:00AM, followed by the 10K at 9:15AM, and the 5K at 9:30AM. All race participants will be chip timed.

After returning to Shawnee, participants can enjoy post race food and there are options to purchase food from local merchants.

Awards will be given to the top overall male and female finishers in each of the three running events. The overall and age group results will be posted online. Age groups: 19 and under, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59 and 60 and over.