Running The Legend at Sleepy Hollow State Park

If running through hardwood forests and prairie grasslands is your thing, the Legend trail run in Sleepy Hollow State Park is a race for you.

I have been patiently waiting to participate in this race for 3 years now. Ever since being canceled in 2020, I have been trying to work it back into my race schedule. This was the year.

Registrants had the option of running three distances. The 5 mile, 10 mile, and half marathon. I chose to do the half marathon and I loved nearly every second of it.

The Legend Course

The Legend was 100% trail. My favorite.

The course was a looped course that started and ended at the beach in Sleepy Hollow State Park. It circled Lake Ovid entirely but there weren’t many views of the lake. Most of the trail was forested and densely covered. I personally appreciated the added protection from the summer sun.

The trail itself wasn’t technical. There were a few rocks and roots here and there but nothing major. This is an excellent trail run for anyone interested in converting from road running to the trail.

There were a couple of very steep hills along the way, including one that had a sign prior to the hill that said “Caution very steep hill ahead.” It was very accurate. Overall there wasn’t much elevation change over the course.

The part of the course I didn’t really like was the last two miles or so. Mostly through prairie grassland, the forested dirt trail turned to grass. For some reason, I find running on uneven, grass surfaces annoying and prefer to avoid them when possible. This was the only portion of the trail that I didn’t like but it wasn’t enough to damper the overall enjoyment I had participating in the Legend.

I was extremely impressed with how well-marked the course was. Never once did I question if I was going the right way. There were flags in every spot that may have had some confusion.

Goodies

All finishers received a wooden medal.

For an additional cost, participants could receive a t-shirt and/or a specialized Purist bottle. For $16, I opted in for the t-shirt and I’m happy I did. I love the color, fit, and design.

Double Dare

Interested in biking? The Legend offers a double dare option where you run on Saturday and ride on Sunday. All finishers of the double dare challenge receive an additional wooden bottle opener and are eligible for double dare awards.

I didn’t participate in the bike race but maybe next year.

Overall

The Legend trail run changed my impression of the trails at Sleepy Hollow State Park. The route was very pleasant.

The race itself was full of wonderful volunteers and was well organized. To avoid overcrowding at the start of the race and the chance for runners to spread out, the runners were released in waves. The groups spread out quickly and were separated by less than a minute. No waiting around.

I enjoyed this race very much and it is one that I intend to return to. For more information, visit Run the Legend.