Welcome to the
ARE YOU READY TO TAKE ON THE IRON FURNACE?
A Race Hosted By...
One of Ohio's hardest half marathons.
2025 will be the 12th Annual IFTR!
The Iron Furnace Trail Runs take place at the beautiful Lake Hope State Park and Zaleski State Forest. 13.1 mile runners meander along single-track trails taking in the beautiful views and traversing into the rugged and remote Zaleski State Forest. Along the way runners will be treated with deep gorges, scenic overviews, and rocky outcroppings, and complete what many consider the hardest half marathon in Ohio. 5 mile runners will complete a course of pure singletrack, partly along the lake, and getting a slightly smaller dose of what the half marathoners receive. Whatever distance you choose, you’ll be sure to run on a great course and have a memorable experience at the Iron Furnace!
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Race Details
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Date: Saturday, April 5, 2025
Location: Lake Hope State Park
Time: Race Start – 9:00am and 9:15am
Distances: 13.1 mile and 5 mile
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Permits:
This event is held in accordance with special use permits from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for Lake Hope State Park and Zaleski State Forest. Please be considerate of the land and other users to ensure the future of the Iron Furnace Trail Run.
Race Day Schedule:
Packet pick-up: 7:00am-8:30am
Pre-Race Meeting: 8:45am
13.1 Mile Race Start: 9:00am
5 Mile Race Start: 9:15am
5 Mile Awards: 10:45am
13.1 Mile Awards: 12:00pm (or earlier)
Race Closes: 1:30pm
Friday Packet Pick-up:
Ohio Valley Running Company (20 Station St., Athens, OH, 45701)
-->4:30-6:30 pm
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Race Morning Packet Pick-up:
At the Start/Finish
-->7:00 to 8:30 am.
Registration and Pricing
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Registration Open Date: Saturday, November 15, 2024
Registration Close Date: Wednesday, April 2, 2025
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Pricing:
5 Mile: $34.37 after opening, $45.00 after Jan. 1, $55.62 after March 1
13.1 Mile: $61.43 after opening, $72.06 after Jan. 1, $82.68 after March 1
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*Ultra Signup recently adopted a new "All-In Pricing" policy to display the total price with all fees and taxes shown before checking out, so now there will be no hidden fees on the base registration price. The prices shown above reflect the "All In Price" of registration with all fees and taxes included. You can read more on UltraSignup's All-In Pricing policy by CLICKING HERE.
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Registration process:
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To register and pay online follow the UltraSignup.com link on the main page and complete the race registration instructions. You will receive confirmation email upon completion.
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No Paper Registration or Race-Day Registration. All participants must register online before the deadline or before the race fills.
Capacity: The IFTR has a race capacity of 250 participants combined for both distances. Registration will be closed immediately once the race capacity is reached
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Waitlist: Due to the potential for the event selling out, IFTR registration will move to a waitlist if the capacity is reached. As entrants withdraw from the event prior to the race, the next person on the waitlist will be invited in. The waitlist is free to enter, and you will be notified with the option to accept or decline once you move into the field, and your credit card is only charged if you accept your entry.
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Walkers are welcome to register for the Iron Furnace Trail Run. However, the course closes at 1:30 pm, 4.5 hours after the start, so walkers are encouraged to register for the 5 mile distance. The 5 mile course remains open for the entire 4.5 hour duration. The 13.1 mile course will have a cut-off at the 8.05 mile aid station of 3 hours.
Awards, Swag, and Perks!
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Finisher Awards
Every finisher of both race distances will receive a wooden finishers award.
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Post-Race Food
All runners will be treated with food once they finish their race. Food varies from year to year, but Potato Bowls have been a popular attraction in recent years, with a variety of toppings. There will be options vegan diets.
13.1 Mile Awards: will be given as finishers cross line
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1st Place Male and Female Overall - Special 1st place award + free entry into next years IFTR-
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2nd Place Male and Female Overall - Special Award
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3rd Place Male and Female Overall - Special Award
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1st Place Male and Female Masters (40-49) - Special Award
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1st Place Male and Female Grand Master (50-59) - Special Award
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1st Place Male and Female Super Master (60+) - Special Award​
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5 Mile Awards: will be given as finishers cross line
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Medals given to top 3 male and female finishers
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T-Shirt:
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T-Shirt is included with registration fee.
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You must register by March 1st to be guaranteed to receive your correct sized t-shirt with entry fee. If you do not register by the aforementioned date, you will not be guaranteed your correct sized t-shirt with registration. Some t-shirts may be available for purchase on race day.
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Race Shirt: 13.1 and 5 mile participants will receive a soft short-sleeve casual shirt.
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An Amazing Course Layout: Visit the course descriptions section for the 13.1 mile and 5 mile course descriptions, maps, elevation profiles, and aid station information.
Directions
You can type this address into any GPS app or device and you will see the best way to Lake Hope State Park Beach Parking Lot.
Directions: Address for directions to the race start/finish area:
Lake Hope State Park Beach Lot
Park Rd 9
‪McArthur, OH 45651
Parking at the Iron Furnace Trail Run
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Starting in 2025 the races will Start and Finish at the Lake Hope State Park Beach Parking Lot. This is a different area from the previous start/finish location at the Lake Hope Lodge - do not drive to the Lake Hope Lodge parking lot like you have done in the past! The new location at the Beach will support the parking for the race. There will be parking attendants to help position everyone in the most efficient manner in various lots near the start/finish area. From where you park you will then walk (no more than a half mile) to the start line. Shuttles will not be needed with this new parking location.
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Carpooling: PLEASE consider carpooling with friends to the race, as this will alleviate a lot of congestion at the park, and will make your day easier as you arrive at Lake Hope. Use the Iron Furnace Trail Run Facebook Event Page to coordinate carpooling with other participants!
Iron Furnace Trail Run Courses​
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toggle to each distance in upper left
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downloadable GPX files via the right side menu
*A note about course distances and elevation gain: while we advertise each course as a set distance (eg. 13.1 or 5 miles), the nature of trail running limits the ability for GPS devices to be precise with accurate distances and elevation gain. We create a course that flows well and shows off the aesthetics of the trail system. Below we have listed the course distance and elevation profiles with the information we have best available to us.
13.1 Mile Course Details
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True distance is 13.49 Miles
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2185 feet of elevation gain
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12.10 miles of singletrack trail
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1.4 mile of pavement
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Aid Stations: miles 2.93 and 8.05
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Cutoff: 3 hours at the 8.05 mile aid station.
5 Mile Course Details
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True distance is 5.11 miles
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587 feet of elevation gain
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4 miles of singletrack trail
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0.5 mile of pavement
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Aid Station: mile 3.1
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All-Time Course Records
13.1 Mile Course Records
Male: Josh Park - 1:30:25 (2024)
Female: Jenny Brewer - 1:48:52 (2024)
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Masters (40-49) Male: Mike Cooper - 1:44:22 (2022)
Masters (40-49) Female: Kristine McCallum - 2:18:58 (2015)
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Grandmasters (50-59) Male: Daniel Campbell - 2:00:58 (2017)
Grandmasters (50-59) Female: Kelly Parker - 2:33:42 (2019)
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Supermasters (60+) Male: Herbert Michel - 2:40:31 (2016)
Supermasters (60+) Female: Mary Kitzig - 2:45:40 (2019)
4.5 Mile Course Records
Male: Jonah Phillips - 32:46 (2023)
Female: Elizabeth Turley - 36:22 (2019)
13.1 Mile Top 10 List
Men:
'24 Josh Park (26) 1:30:25
'15 Andrew Rhodes (25) 1:35:39
'15 Travis Simpson (34) 1:37:19
'16 Cody Chabola (25) 1:38:02
'15 Nick Reed (23) 1:38:16
'19 James Fox (23) 1:39:17
'20 James Fox (24) 1:39:33
'14 Andrew Rhodes (24) 1:39:42
'15 Zach Holbert (28) 1:40:22
'16 Robert Wayner (33) 1:40:35
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Women:
'24 Jenny Brewer (29) 1:48:52
'17 Shannon Kilbane (20) 1:59:27
'16 Alison Wayner (31) 1:59:30
'17 Beth Szolosi (38) 2:10:10
'19 Anna Monarchino (19) 2:10:57
'17 Erin Pfahler (25) 2:12:44
'19 Kristy Burt (32) 2:16:03
'22 Kelly Burt (39) 2:16:33
'16 Rachel Cunningham (38) 2:17:11
'24 Kristy Burt (37) 2:17:44
IFTR Photos
Sponsors and Partners
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Waiver Form: To participate in the Iron Furnace Trail Run you are required to complete and sign all waivers. If under the age of 18 yrs old, a parent or guardian must sign waiver form.
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Refund/Rollover Policy:
Like most events of this nature and because items for the event are purchased months in advance of the race, the Iron Furnace Trail Runs cannot provide full refunds close to the race date, but we follow a refund and rollover schedule that will help give a little back to those who need to withdraw from the race. Our "Refund/Rollover Window" is as follows:​
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45 or more days before the race = 100% refund or rollover
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20-44 days before the race = 50% refund or rollover
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0-20 days before the race = 0% refund or rollover
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To request a refund/rollover: You must have an UltraSignup account to request your refund/rollover. If you registered as a "guest" please email the race director and we will need to manually process your refund/rollover. Follow these steps:
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Log in to Ultrasignup.com
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Go into your account info and click "Registration History."
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Click "edit" next to the race you wish to withdraw from.
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After this scroll to the bottom of the page and click the red "Cancel Registration" button.
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Once you select cancel registration a box will appear giving you an option to receiving either a Refund or Rollover.
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Click "Process."
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Please note that in some cases a bank will not accept a refund back onto a credit card if the original purchase was made over 90 days ago; in that case the race director will be notified and will send your refund via a check through the mail.
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Further Rollover Policy: ​
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Inside 20 days before the event we will not process any refunds or accept any rollovers.
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Once your entry has been "rolled over" to next year's event you will be removed to the current year's race, then receive an invite into the next year's event via email once that registration has opened.
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Your Rollover credit is only valid for the next year's event and cannot be applied to other events or other runners.
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Transfer Policy: Participants may not transfer their bibs to another person, nor run under someone else's bib.
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Distance Switch: Participants may transfer distances until 4 day prior to the event. If you made an account on UltraSignup while registering you can do this yourself; otherwise, notify the race director.
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Cancellation Policy: The Iron Furnace Trail Run will take place rain or shine unless conditions become unsafe, ODNR revokes our permit, or there is any other unforeseeable event that warrants unsafe conditions. The Race Director will have the authority to make changes in order to best meet the group’s interests and the safety of participants, volunteers and spectators in case of extreme weather or other unforeseeable events. The Race Director will determine if and when the event shall be postponed, resumed, or canceled. Refunds will not be given if the race has to be cancelled because of force majeure.
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