Dear PCTR Community,
Oh, how I miss you all. I miss your joyous celebrations at the finish line. I miss your stinky and sweaty hugs. I especially miss the build up of the food and electrolyte crust around your trail and ultra running lips.
Romantic, I know.
For those that joined our email list recently, welcome to PCTR. The rest of this email may have you running for the hills :-)
Over the past 8 months, I started to write like a maniac (over 200 pages), reflecting on all that has happened the past three years in my life and trail running. Turns out I wrote about the last 35 years of my life of relationships in music and sports. This is not the time nor the place. However, I do need to let you all know my plan and what is in store for PCTR 5.0 - including so many new races in new places along with some new formats.
In this email you will learn about PCTR's new ownership, new races, old races, races that will disappear, a data breach, The Trail Portal, and more. I will keep it short. Stay tuned for more emails, podcasts, and communications over the next few days and weeks alerting you all to events and opportunities.
Not sure why this is the day to finally sit down and send the email to the entire PCTR database. Some of you have insight into what has happened to PCTR the past few years because I wrote emails to "event contacts only" briefly outlining what has happened in my life. Besides running a business into the ground, trying to start another business, take on a retail storefront lease, hire employees, it was death like I have never experienced: old age, covid, suicide, cancer, accidental deaths, murder, fentanyl drug overdoses as well as a near fatal tragedy in my home. Every time, I thought I could address the future, I couldn't do it. Didn't know where I was going. Didn't know what I wanted anymore. You also have all suffered great loss both physically and mentally during the last three years. I am thankful for all those that have been suffering or concerned enough to reach out and share and help. To those that sent donations, know that I am forever grateful. I am additionally and extremely grateful for all that have continually reached out this past year to check-in with me time and time again.
Love you all.
During the Super Bowl this past Sunday, I was reminded of how I invited "Team PCTR" over to my house to have a party back in 2020. I also used that time that morning to have a huge meeting to discuss 2020 and beyond.
I may remember using a cheesy title for my presentation "2020 Perfect Vision - Our future is so clear". Gulp.
I want to first apologize to TEAM PCTR for letting you all down: J-LoLa, Yaku, Shane B, Karen Hanke, Bree L, Thomas R, Rick G, Shrina Z, Karyssa Z, Kiki Z, Carly Z, Harrison B. David T, Tyler T, Jacob T, Sean F, Felicia B, Ray M, Carrie T, Aaron T, Eileen F, Stan J, Steve P, Kati L, Victor & Jena, Jay & Yoly, and Quicksilver Running Club.. From day one, sacrificing hundreds of hours, you have been there for PCTR. Thank you for your amazing support on the production side to always make sure our events ran smoothly to this day.
I also want to apologize to the founders and caretakers of the Pacific Coast Trail Runs brand since its beginning around the year 2000: Wendell Doman & Sarah Spelt, Michael "Misha" Popov (RIP), John & Maureen Brooks. Sorry I let you all down. I promise to keep it going.
For you, the individual opening this email, I am deeply sorry that I have been unable to communicate with you as a group or individual.
I take full responsibility for all my actions and inaction.
Since I got evicted from my home last March, I was able to sleep with friends and family until I was able to find a place to live in Reno, Nevada this past October. During this time, I was also trying to sell PCTR. Either, folks low balled me, or they wanted me to stay on board and manage the business. Both were not a consideration. I continued on barely trying to produce events until I found a place to live, a place to store our production equipment, and a place to store our endless amounts of swag.
During this time, I have begun to create a new ownership group that now includes Chef Yaku Moton-Spruill. We will be adding 6 to 8 new owners over the next year so that the brand can continue on. If this is a team or something you want to be part of, then email me. I am putting together a team that is passionate about trail and ultrarunning. Skill sets include: President to run the company (I will still RD), legal, finance, software engineer, webmaster, app developer, warehouse storage, timing, social media, or whatever you think can contribute. I started writing the new business plan and look forward to developing it with those that want to be part of the next generation of PCTR.
In other news, I will be going back to the corporate workplace for the first time since I was laid off in the dotcom collapse of 2000 in San Francisco. There are plenty of opportunities in Washoe County and I look forward to the next few months of interviewing.
2023 Races: PCTR will start with 8 races in 2023. I will expand to 12 in 2024 including 2 brand new 100 mile events.
Next Race: Saturday March 25th, 2023 Montana de Oro.
#COYOTEGATE (AKA Headlands 150M, 100M, 100K etc): Thanks to the fucking coyote situation, there will never be night racing in the Marin Headlands ever again. With this news, please note that we will be having the Headlands 100K on August 19th, 2023 We will combine the date with the Rodeo Beach 50K. Night Sweats will be moved to a new venue (TBD).
HEADLANDS ENTRANTS: You will be emailed separately to get you caught up with your post-#coyotegate finishes.
Winter Racing: Until further notice, because I now live in Reno, PCTR will not produce events in the winter time due to winter problems getting over Donner Pass with a trailer.
Race Credits: All Runners with outstanding race credits, will have 10+ years to use them (End of 2033).
2023 New Races: Arnold Rim Trail (May 13), Shasta Lake (October), G-Bar Ultra (June 10), and a few others will roll out this year and next. I have been driving up and down the state meeting with land managers and agencies to create new races over the next few years.
Races Lost to the Fires of 2020 Update: Skyline to the Sea (2024 or 2025 at the earliest), Armstrong Redwoods (2023 or 2024), The Groves (September 2023).
Old Races (TBD): We have over 30 events and 150 races as production assets.
Open Course Races (Jam on Tam, Hum, Streak, and more): to be addressed individually via email.
Bay Area Ridge Trail & TogetheRelay: will come back in 2023.
Go run a trail: This will be taking the next steps in brand development.
The Trail Portal: The Open Course Trail philosophy will continue.
Data Breach: Due to an ongoing and advertised national shoe brand class action lawsuit and discussions with my attorney, I have decided to release this information. On May 3rd, 2022, a disgruntled former employee downloaded the PCTR database without permission. Shall you receive an email or communication from another trail running company that you are sure you never gave them your email, then please let me know. The information gathered by this person does not include financial data. All financial data gathered is stored with 3rd party financial institutions or registration platforms. I also never collected your social security number or identification card. Sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused you.
Data Breach #2: The Trail Portal Instagram account has also been hijacked by the same person that stole the Pacific Coast Trail Runs database.
We have given this person 8 months to return our credentials. We apologize in advance for any and all bullshit this person has or may cause in the future. We are working with Meta/Facebook/Instagram to resolve this issue.
Santa Clarita Ultra & Trail Run (DOUBLE RACE CREDITS): This event will never happen. All entrants that registered for the original 2019 event will receive twice the value they paid in race credits (Double Race Credits). Fire, Covid, Fire, cancelled contract by city official. They had all right to cancel the contract because of the delays of covid and fire. They promised us money and they took that off the table and did nothing to try and make us feel welcome ever again.
All the above is plenty to take-in. I will not promise to return your email or text from the past year. I will promise to get back to you shall you contact me again. There is lots of work to do.
I love sports, I love trail running, I love producing events. This is who I am. This is what I am. There is so much more work to do in trail and ultrarunning.
You will remember that it was the NBA on Wednesday March 11th, 2020 that influenced the rest of the world to stop and think harder about Covid. The NHL, all other sports,and then the rest followed. The reason I bring all this up is that sports have a way of influencing global behavior in a positive way especially in dark times. Most importantly, sports have been a way to bring people together. For me, sports are more than performance in trail running, baseball, tennis, golf, or football. It's about celebration, character, and the ongoing adventure to find your own personal joy or success.
I am far from completing my own personal journey in the production world. I hope you will come back and enjoy the new adventures ahead.
Huge trail hug,
Greg
Greg Lanctot
Race Director
Pacific Coast Trail Runs, est. 2000PacificCoastTrailRuns.com
TheTrailPortal.com Home to "Open Course" Trail Racing.
Greg@thetrailportal.com+1 (408) 583-7122
