Arbuckle AnkleBiter

Arbuckle Tract at Lake Wales Ridge State Forest is a 13,530 acre property in Frostproof offering opportunities for long hiking excursions, equestrian trails and camping.

Arbuckle Tract occupies a high ridge of ancient sand dunes and contains fast-disappearing pine and oak scrub, a habitat that is home to Florida scrub-jays and gopher tortoises. Lake Arbuckle adjoins the area, and fishing and canoeing may be enjoyed on the lake year-round. This Tract is a Great Florida Birding Trail site. Short-tailed hawks may be observed on the Paula Dockery Trail, and at Lake Arbuckle visitors will see wading birds, bald eagles, limpkins and ospreys.

Food!
We will have our grills out and making food all day! Pancake breakfast! Hamburger, hotdogs, QUESADILLAS other meats (and some fake meats for those few of you) for lunch! Chicken and brisket for those in the 50k & 100k!

Aid Stations: Electrolytes, fruits, gels, and many more items to keep you functioning!

Race details
You will be fully aided and supported, fed, and will have a course that’s overmarked— “Flags on the right!!!!!”—and nearly impossible to get lost on if your eyes are open. Come down to Frostproof and enjoy The Arbuckle AnkleBiter at Lake Wales Ridge State Forest’s Arbuckle Tract.

– 100k: 2 x 30k loops then 2 x 20k loops
– 50k: 1 x 30k loop then 1 x 20k loop
– 15k: 1 x 15k loop

Terrain you will encounter:
– Sand: There’s lots of single-track packed sand; it’s not soft and very runnable.
– Soft sand: There’s plenty, but it’s not long stretches. The longest is a mile or maybe a little more. It comes and goes; it’s a good time to relax and eat.
– Grass: There’s some grass trail; it’s lumpy and annoying, to be honest. The sections that have rough, lumpy grass are my least favorite. I’d rather have more sand and less lumpy grass, just like the soft sand. There’s not a ton of it, but it’s out there. There are also spots where there are just bike grooves, and it’s not called the ankle biter for no reason—this is a tough course even though it’s flat.
– Clay & limestone roads: There are a few sections of clay roads and a few sections of limestone roads. These are great places to recover; aid stations will be on the limestone road or very close to it.
– Cypress City: You run along Lake Arbuckle, and it it is just a forest of little streams and cypress trees. This section has some soft sand as well. It’s a mile and a half, and it is treacherous. You need to take your time through this section. There are little tiny roots everywhere. There are bridges over streams; it gets narrow. This is the fun part, but be very aware and careful.

Aid stations every 4 to 5 miles; runners’ camp/start/finish for canopies and crewing, and where the good food will be.