The Sanders Saunter Charity Trail Race is a sneaky, challenging event, run on the Clinton Lake North Shore Trail System in northeast Kansas. This state park is the anchor for the Lawrence Trail Hawks events and runs, and the technical, rooty, rocky trails wind up and over the lakeside trail. The drop of fall leaves, hedge apples and walnuts adds more difficulty, especially if you’re new to Clinton Lake.
Interestingly, this race draws many first-timers—either to the trails, course or distance. Thankfully, it’s also a race that draws plenty of return runners who are happy for the cooler temperatures of a fall race or those who level-up to a longer distance.
The race offers 50k, 25k and 10k distances that follow the same trails of the base 25k loop. The 50k runners do the 25k loop twice, and 10k runners complete one shortened loop. Each race begins with a trip to Saunders Mound, the least technical and widest section of the single-track course. It provides a wonderful sunrise view and a good way to stretch out the field of runners before getting onto the technical White Trail, which represents the longest section of the lakeshore trail system.
Runners in the 10k race make their first and only aid station stop at Lake Henry before turning back on the Blue Trail—while 25k and 50k runners continue on White Trail out to the busiest aid station, Lands End. This aid station is a bit more than 7 miles in, and is the same aid station the 25k and 50k runners return to after completing a loop that connects the White and Blue Trails for another 4-plus miles. The sections of Blue Trail follow more closely to the lake, offering some pleasant views and more forgiving ground surface than the White Trail.
It’s a good rule of thumb to run White Trail at a moderate—or even slow—pace, and then kick it up a gear or two on Blue to take advantage of better terrain.
This year’s event brought great starting weather for each distance, and daylight for the 50k runners because of the date change that landed on the other side of Daylight Savings Time. Temperatures were above average in the 50s, with some brief rain and strong wind through early afternoon. This time of year in eastern Kansas brings unpredictable weather. Warm, windy and a little rain on the same day is almost a best-case scenario on race day for runners.
Full results here.