"History is written by the victors". Whoever said that certainly had the Atrocious FLT Relay Team in mind... here we are trying to re-create the history of this unique event, before we all succumb to Reaganitis. This is an attempt to get everything in one place. There is a lot of missing information! Please send me your recollections and any hard facts. Photos would be especially welcome.

Every three years, since in 1981 the Finger Lakes Trail in central New York State is the site of a unique running event: the Triennial FL Trail Relay originated and perpetuated by a permanent unelected Triennial Central Committee. We hope you enjoy our race! but please don't try to change it; however suggestions are welcome as long as they are in the Spirit of the Tri.

The format has changed a bit over the years, but the essential feature has always been teams of six (through 2002) or seven (2005-present) runners covering approximately 80 miles of the Finger Lakes trail in the Ithaca area, in stages ranging from 9 to 16 miles. The team with the lowest place-score (x-country system) or the fastest combined time, or some combination determined by the race organizers according to their mood, wins.

The race is to the prepared: entrants should have pre-run their section of the trail if at all possible, certainly all Finger Lakes-area runners should have done so. The trail on the ground must be followed in its entirety

Note: Maps may be ordered from the Finger Lakes Trail Conference Web Page.

The general route of the FLT in Tompkins County is shown on a nice pamphlet Bike/Hike Ithaca & Tompkins County, which I found posted in the Finger Lakes Cycling Club May 2004 newsletter

Here's a map of the FLT in the Finger Lakes National Forest, north of Bennetsburg; this is a small part of a map of the whole forest from the FLNF web site

• Catherine the Great, out-standing performance
• Christopher Columbus, most lost
• Oliver North end-justifies-the-means
• Marshal Kutuzov time and patience

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Question: Why such strict qualifying standards?

   Answer: Basically, we want to know that you know what you're getting into. The only way to ensure that is to know that you've actually been out on the trail and been able to run on it at a reasonable speed. Note that the best way to qualify is to pre-run your stage! You can do this right up to the week before the event.

2. Question:Why can't I run the whole thing?

   Answer: You can, just not in our event. For the support to work, running speed can not vary too much. You can enter for more than one stage if you can keep up the pace that long. Only one person has ever been able to do that (John Walsh, Triennial I). Give it all you've got on your stage; after a few brutal uphills and rocky trails you will be ready to stop.

3. Question: Can I do this for charity?

   Answer: No

4. Question: Why can't I organise the Triennial myself?

   Answer: Because.

5. Question: Who are you guys, anyway?

   Answer: See you on race day!

A few Triennial veterans and good friends have been taken from us. Although they had many memorable moments in their lives, I like to think that the Triennial was one of the best.

Tom Bugliosi (1991); Joel Zucker (1997); Rich Lawrence (1998); Joe Streeter (1999); Henry Theisen (2001); Hubert Morgan (2002)

This page is http://home.twcny.rr.com/nrw/O/triennial.html
Last Updated: 2008_278