Tussey Teaser #0 - 13th Annual Colyer 'Sno Big Deal 10k: Results | Recap

Tussey Teaser #1 - 20th Annual Laurel Run Switchbacker 10K: Results | Recap

Tussey Teaser #2 - 20th Annual Tussey-Whipple 11 Miler: Results | Recap

Tussey Teaser #3 - 19th Annual Beidleheimer Sidewinder 10K/20K Results | Recap

Tussey Teaser #4 - 19th Annual Treaster Kettle Test-Your-Mettle 10.6 Mile Run Results | Recap

Tussey Teaser #5 - 10th Annual Eager Seeger Half-Marathon Results | Recap

Tussey Teaser 0: Colyer 'Sno Big Deal 10k

The bold group at the start on a frigid day

Queen the Greyhound out to cheer on the runners 

Adam Berger heads toward victory after taking the lead near the course turnaround.

Michael Palumbo, Doug Shunk, Mark Lozinski and John Iceland enjoy a gentle descent section on Boal Gap Road

3 winners: Kaylee Frederick, Winter Parts, and Adam Berger pose with the spoils of victory after taking top honors in the women’s, nonbinary, and men’s categories

Marvin Hall regales in the festive scenery along Boal Gap Road on the way back to Colyer Lake 

Tussey Teaser 1: Laurel Run Switchbacker 10k

Temperatures in the mid-thirties and strong winds greeted runners on Bear Meadows Road as skiers zigzagged down the slopes behind the lodge at Tussey Mountain. The route had been bone dry earlier this week, but – almost a race tradition – runners had slush and some ice to traverse this year.

Caeden Smith took the overall win, with Arvind Gupta placing second and Cam Mallett third. Kaylee Frederick won the women’s category, with Crystal McNeal in second and Becky Brigman in third. 

Several runners bettered their times from last year’s icy foray. Brent McNeal took 42 seconds off, Crystal McNeal took 25 seconds off, Jeff Schiesler took 5½ minutes off, and Brian Brown took 11 minutes off.

One runner brought used shoes for Sneakers4Good and $50 in donations were made to the Tussey Mountainback’s 2023 event beneficiary, Nittany Greyhounds. Thank you!

Thanks to Doan’s Bones and Webster’s Café for random prizes. Kudos to Daniel Shevock, who took the chance and traded his planned training run for this race.

Follow his account of the adventure: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXS5y3NjzL4

Those who run Tussey Teasers #1 through #5 (February’s Teaser #0 was a bonus) will received a special prize and be eligible for a grand prize. The winner will be drawn on June 18 immediately after Teaser #5, the Eager Seeger Half Marathon. 

The next Tussey Teaser, on April 16, is the Tussey-to-Whipple 11 Miler, run on Legs 1 through 3 of the original Tussey mOUnTaiNBACK course. Since this is a point-to-point run starting at Tussey Mountain, we encourage runners to arrange for post-race transportation from the finish at the beach road at Whipple Dam State Park.

Runners are encouraged to bring their gently used running shoes to be collected at each run for a program called Sneakers4Good that supports micro-entrepreneurs in communities and countries
around the world. 

For more information about Nittany Greyhounds, visit https://www.tusseymountainback.com/beneficiary

For details, driving directions and waiver forms for the 4 remaining Tussey Teasers, visit http://www.tusseymountainback.com/tussey_teasers.html. We hope to see you there – just for the
hill of it!

Runners line up for the start of the race.

Kaylee Frederick and Caeden Smith took top honors in the women’s and men’s categories.

Deciding to go for it just 25 minutes before start time, Jordan DeVault ran her first-ever 10K today.

Caeden Smith cruises the homestretch in the final switchback on Lauren Run Road.

Mark Burgan reaches the finish line in his first race ever. What a beginning!

Tussey Teaser 2: Tussey to Whipple 11 miler

20 th Annual Tussey2Whipple 11 Miler (Tussey Teaser #2)
Tussey Mountain – April 16, 2023
By Mike Casper

Mid-50s temperatures and sunny skies, with a little mist in low spots, greeted runners gathered at
Tussey Mountain for this point-to-point run, which was a true celebration of Spring. At Whipple
Dam, a bald eagle was perched in a tree across the lake and a loon was diving in the water for a
late breakfast.

Arvind Gupta clicked off the miles for the overall win and finished 1 second ahead of his time
from last year. Mary Waechter took second overall and first for the women’s category. Ken
Farnsworth and Michael Palumbo took second and third in the men’s category, with Lauren
Leonard and Katie Dry taking second and third in the women’s category. Katie sliced 14 minutes
off her time from last year.

Nittany Greyhounds was present at the finish with three greyhounds and their owners available
to greet the runners. One of today’s runners, Nathan Goldner, is a greyhound owner, and he had
obtained his greyhound from the Nittany Greyhounds’ local kennel. The organization finds
homes for retired greyhounds and also takes care of any medical services the greyhounds need.
Several runners took information home about the organization’s raffle fundraiser, for which a
drawing will take place April 22. Prizes range from $100 to $10,000. Raffle tickets can also be
purchased through April 21 at https://nittanygreys.org/store/ols/products/2023-cash-raffle

Donations in support of the work of Nittany Greyhounds can be made at any of the Tussey
Teaser races or online on the beneficiary page of the Mountainback’s website,
https://www.tusseymountainback.com/

Those who run Tussey Teasers #1 through #5 (February’s Teaser #0 was a bonus) will be
eligible for a special prize drawing that will take place on June 18 after Teaser #5, the Eager
Seeger Half Marathon.

Runners are encouraged to bring gently used running shoes to be collected at each run for a
program called Sneakers4Funds that supports entrepreneurs in communities and countries around
the world. Proceeds coming back support Nittany Greyhounds.

The next Tussey Teaser is May 6, the (free) Beidleheimer Sidewinder 10K & 20K, Central PA’s
only race with age- and gender-adjusted results. The Sidewinder is an out-and-back race on Leg
4 of the 50-mile course, with start and finish at Whipple Dam State Park. The 20K distance
includes the 1.6-mile hill on Beidleheimer Road.

For details, driving directions and waiver forms for the remaining Teasers, visit
https://www.tusseymountainback.com/events. Just for the hill of it!

Tussey Teaser #3 - 19th Annual Beidleheimer Sidewinder 10K/20K

Whipple Dam State Park / Rothrock State Forest
May 6, 2023
By Mike Casper

This race gives runners the option of turning the challenging Leg 4 of the 50-mile course into a full out and back for 20K – including the ominous 1.6-mile hill near mile 4 – or turning around at the halfway
point to make a still galvanizing 10K run. This was the fifth time featuring the out-and-back route for the 10K and 20K distance.

Matt Smith outpaced the small field in the 20K, with Matt Horn just a few minutes back and Mark Lozinski taking third. In the 10K, Eric Sutherland set the overall pace, with Arvind Gupta less than 3 minutes back, who took second, and Terry Reid in third. Amy Garcia won the women’s category, with Jen Allen in second and Deborah Ray in third. David Lloyd took nearly a minute off his 2022 finishing time.

The next Tussey Teaser is June 5, the Treaster Kettle Test-Your-Mettle 10.6 Miler, with an earlier start, 8:00 a.m., with start and finish at Colyer Lake.

Tussey Teaser #4 - 19th Annual Treaster Kettle Test-Your-Mettle 10.6 Mile Run

June 4, 2023 – Colyer Lake
by Mike Casper

mettle – vigor and strength of spirit or temperament; staying quality

A gentle breeze and mid-fifties temps let the runners gathered at Colyer Lake know that spring is somehow hanging on. Like last year, today’s run was cooler than typical, providing good conditions for this race. Winter Parts was the overall winner and set a non-binary course record, with Patrick Sabol and Rob Shaver more than 5 minutes back representing first and second in the men’s category and Scott Pasquale in third. In the women’s category, Alexandria Housel won and sliced more than 3 minutes off her time from last year. Regan Tahac took second and Patricia Moore was third.

One runner, Jeff Schiesler, has run all of the “official” Tussey Teasers #1 through #4 so far, as well as the “bonus” Teaser #0. Jeff is in the running to receive the “grand prize” to be awarded on June 18 after completing the final Teaser, the Eager Seeger Half Marathon.

Two local adopted greyhound pets were on hand with their owners for a meet-and-greet with runners after the race. Thanks to those who made donations today to support Nittany Greyhounds, the Mountainback’s 2023 beneficiary, and to all those who brought used shoes for Sneakers4Good.

Special thanks to Dan Shevock for race day photos.

The final Tussey Teaser of the season, the Eager Seeger Half Marathon, will take place on June 18 at Alan Seeger Natural Area. For details and directions, visit https://www.tusseymountainback.com/events.

Tussey Teaser #5 - 10th Annual Eager Seeger Half-Marathon

June 18, 2023 – Alan Seeger Natural Area, Rothrock State Forest
By Mike Casper

Cool temps and a gentle breeze provided amazing conditions for the 11 th Eager Seeger Half Marathon, the longest and final run of the 2023 Tussey Teasers Series. The entire route is unpaved forest roads. Runners take on a 3.5+ mile hill near the beginning, with roadside streams, ridgetop vistas and a few more hills along the way. Humidity was low and much of this course was in cool shade.

Adeline Leason took first overall and first in the women’s category. Adeline took 2.5 minutes off her 2022 time, which last year won the women’s category. Alexandria Housel took second in the women’s category. Sean Devlin took the  men’s title, with John Iceland in second and Matt Weldon in third.

Adeline was the day’s youngest runner at 18, and Jeff Schiesler the oldest, at 67. Having run all 5 official Tussey Teasers, plus the optional February Teaser #0, Jeff won the Tussey Teasers series prize, an ice cream cake from Coldstone Creamery. Congratulations, Jeff!

Thanks to Doan’s Bones and Rapid Transit Sports for donated prizes that were given away.

Race Director Mike Casper ran this race to raise funds for Centre Volunteers in Medicine. For details on CVIM’s work, visit http://www.cvim.net/. You can support Mike’s effort to raise $1,000 by visiting his page: https://cvim.ejoinme.org/1368523.

Thanks to those who made donations today to the Nittany Greyhounds, the beneficiary of this year’s Tussey Mountainback 50 Mile Relay and Ultramarathon. You are helping to re-home these gentle creatures who make wonderful pets.

A big thanks to Tom Lechleitner for marking the course and finish line recording, and to Winter Parts for water station staffing at the top of the Seeger Road hill.

Runners, stay tuned: There are more festive forest frolics coming up! The Discovery Training Series uses informal group runs on eight Saturday mornings, beginning Aug. 26, to cover the entire 50 miles of the Tussey mOUnTaiNBACK course. You can visit this schedule to get the run distances, start locations and driving directions: https://www.tusseymountainback.com/events.

We hope to see you there. Just for the hill of it!