Lap the Lake

10/18/2026

🇺🇸 2026 LAP THE LAKE | PODIUM SPOTLIGHT
🚴 CHALLENGER DEEP — 52 MILES

Our longest cycling adventure got a little shake-up for Lap the Lake 2026! Same challenging mileage, but a couple of course detours! First, we bypassed fan-favorite Froggy Bog, where the mosquitoes were apparently throwing quite the party! 🦟😂 Then came another last-minute detour to avoid three miles of freshly laid “quickrock” gravel (think quicksand, only with rocks!).😳

A little more elevation, a few new twists and turns, but still plenty of that beautiful boondock scenery along the way!

With 34 registered and 30 taking the start line, our Challenger Deep riders showed up ready for an adventure. And every one of those 30 riders made it to the finish!

🏆 CHALLENGER DEEP | OVERALL PODIUM

MALE
🥇 Armando Sanchez — 2:42:40
🥈 Gerardo Rojas Rodriguez — 2:52:39
🥉 Zak Hall — 3:01:44

FEMALE
🥇 Andrea Peace — 3:36:05
🥈 Becky Ballinger — 3:37:06
🥉 Chelsea Fuller — 3:37:07

How about that female podium?! Just over ONE MINUTE separated first through third, with only ONE SECOND between second and third! Now that’s a finish! 👏

🚴 NEW FOR 2026 | SINGLE SPEED DIVISION

One gear. Fifty-two miles. Plenty of determination!

We introduced a Single Speed division for the first time this year, and WOW, did these guys show us what could be done with just one gear!

🏆 SINGLE SPEED | MALE PODIUM
🥇 Isaac Goekler — 2:42:41
🥈 Steve Stephens — 2:42:42
🥉 Ethan Doak — 3:08:11

And would you look at those times?! Just ONE SECOND separated our top two Single Speed riders, with Isaac finishing only one second behind the overall male winner! 🔥

Let’s just say these guys gave our finish chute a run for its money! When you see a longer one next year, you’ll know who to thank! 😳🤣

We received some great feedback on this new division, so Single Speed WILL be back for 2027! No women took on the Single Speed challenge this year, but we’re hoping to change that next year. Ladies, consider this your invitation! 💪

With a new course and a brand-new division, we’ve officially got some inaugural course records on the books!

And speaking of next year… we’re already tossing around a few ideas for Challenger Deep 2027. Maybe we’ll even manage to evict the mosquitoes in time to bring Froggy Bog back into the adventure!

Congratulations to our Challenger Deep podium finishers and EVERY rider who took on the challenge! We loved seeing you out there making miles and memories with us!

It’s a tough course, but these riders proved to be tougher. 💪

🇺🇸 Miles Made in America. Memories Made at the Lake.

🔗 OFFICIAL 2026 RACE RESULTS:
https://sites.chronotrack.com/event/90607/results

10/17/2026

🇺🇸 2026 LAP THE LAKE | PODIUM SPOTLIGHT
🎖️ RECON RUCK — 6 MILES

Small Herd. Big Adventure. 🦬

Brand-new to Lap The Lake in 2026, the Recon Ruck brought a different kind of challenge to our event!

Six miles of GPS-guided navigation across country, winding through trails, up the dam, along a lakeside beach cove, and through areas accessible only with special race-day permission. With just a few visual clues along the course, a cooler of cold drinks tucked away on the trail, and a little herd of bison waiting to be discovered, it was all about embracing the adventure! 🦬
But these little bison carried a BIG message. Inspired by the way bison face a storm head-on, they served as a reminder of strength, resilience, and determination—not just for this adventure, but for life. We all face storms, some expected and some not. We can’t always control what comes our way, but we can control how we respond.
Face it. Endure it. Get through it.😤

🏆 RECON RUCK PODIUM FINISHERS

MALE
🥇 Jake Tucker — 1:44:56
🥈 Blayn Sprecker — 1:44:58
🥉 David Johnson — 2:19:46

FEMALE
🥇 Madeline Volkman — 1:44:56
🥈 Lauren Sprecker — 1:45:00
🥉 Gina Mautz Pope — 1:57:32 (not pictured)

Congratulations to our inaugural Recon Ruck podium finishers and every adventurer who accepted the mission! Thank you for helping us bring something new to the lake this year and for not getting lost…at least not officially. 😅

When one finish line isn’t enough…

We even had two adventurers take on the Recon Ruck as an additional mission, stacking six more miles onto their primary Lap the Lake 2026 event!

🇺🇸 Justin Anderson completed the 6-mile Staying Shallow bike ride before heading out for another 6 miles on the Recon Ruck!

🇺🇸 AllenConnie Butts, at 78 years young, completed the 27-mile Mariana Trench bike ride and then tackled the 6-mile Recon Ruck! That’s 33 miles of adventure in one day! 👏🫡

While our stacked-mission adventurers weren’t eligible for Recon Ruck podium placement, they each earned a special custom Lap The Lake mini bucket filled with goodies!

🦬 AND YES…THE RUCK IS COMING BACK!

After much thought and consideration, we’re bringing the Recon Ruck back for 2027 with a few improvements! The stacked-mission option, however, is officially retiring after its inaugural year. Turns out it made our timing and results a little more adventurous than we planned! 😂 Hence, a little AI assistance with our podium photos this year!

We’re excited to give this adventure another go in 2027!

🇺🇸 Miles Made in America. Memories Made at the Lake.

🔗 OFFICIAL 2026 RACE RESULTS:
https://sites.chronotrack.com/event/90607/results

10/16/2026

📸🇺🇸 More Lap the Lake 2026 memories coming your way!

This round of race-day photos features our Challenger Deep riders and Mokohoko’s Half Marathoners out there putting in the miles! 🚴‍♂️🏃‍♀️

These great shots were captured by Crystal Wright Photography! This was Crystal’s second year joining us, and we were so happy to have her back! ❤️🤍💙

A big thank-you to Crystal for sharing her time and talent and helping us capture the grit, determination, and adventures that make Lap The Lake so special!

Be sure to check out her gallery, show her some love, and give her photography page a follow!

Photo collection by Crystal Wright Photography

10/16/2026

🇺🇸 Stars, Stripes & Miles of Smiles! 🚴‍♂️🏃‍♀️

A big ol’ ALL-AMERICAN thank you to Karla Saffle and her crew for holding down the Melvern UMC Weep Station and capturing some shots of our Mokohoko’s Last Stand 13-mile bikers and Half Marathoners making their way along the trail!

A little encouragement, some fuel for the journey, and a few friendly faces go a long way when you’re out there putting in the miles! ❤️🤍💙

Thanks for being part of the adventure and helping make Lap the Lake 2026 one for the books! 🇺🇸

10/15/2026

📸 THE FIRST LAP THE LAKE PHOTOS ARE HERE! 🇺🇸

And we have someone pretty special to thank!

Nicole Rose Photography has been capturing our Lap The Lake adventures since the beginning! She shows up bright and early, stays until the very last adventurer crosses the finish line, and somehow manages to capture so many wonderful moments in between.

Year after year, Nicole generously shares her time and talent with us, and we’re so grateful to have her as part of our Lap The Lake family! ❤️

📸 Wondering if Nicole caught you in action? This collection features our Mariana Trench and Challenger Deep riders, along with plenty of finish-line moments as adventurers crossed that final stretch! 🏁

She’s made her beautiful race-day photos available as complimentary downloads, so go find your favorites, relive a few memories, and be sure to give Nicole Rose Photography some love!

And if you’re looking for someone to capture your own special moments, from family photos and seniors to weddings and everything in between, keep Nicole in mind!

More Lap the Lake 2026 photos are still to come, but we’re excited to kick things off with Nicole’s collection!

👇 Check out her original post for the gallery link, and don’t forget to tag her when sharing your favorites!

Thank you, Nicole! We appreciate you more than you know! 📸❤️

Photo collection by Nicole Rose Photography

10/13/2026

This is one of our favorite parts of Lap The Lake! ❤️

We don’t always share all the little ways your support gets passed along throughout the year, but here’s one of them!

We’re proud to play a small part in supporting Waverly Bulldog Athletics and the opportunities they’re creating for their student-athletes. 🧡🖤

When you support Lap The Lake, you’re helping us give back to the communities that make it all possible. Thank YOU for being part of that!
It’s a great day to be a Bulldog! 🐾

A huge thank you to our newest Black and Orange Backers for choosing to invest in Waverly Bulldog Athletics!

We are so grateful to Lap the Lake – Marcia Patterson, The Prickly Thistle – Mark and Janella Newton, and Don and Rhonda Hogan for supporting our student-athletes. 🏆

Every donation, no matter the size, helps us build opportunities, provide resources, and create experiences that benefit our Bulldogs. It takes a community coming together to make a lasting impact, and we’re thankful for every person and business willing to be part of that mission.

Thank you for believing in our kids and helping us build a stronger future for Waverly Athletics! 🧡🖤

BUILDING CHAMPIONS TOGETHER. 🐾

10/12/2026

🔎❤️ LAP THE LAKE LOST & FOUND!

Not too bad for a day full of adventure! These are the only two lost and found items we’re aware of so far. 😂

🪙 LOST — 1972 Eisenhower Silver Dollar

One of our participants lost a silver dollar on Saturday, possibly near Homegrown Coffey and Caylin’s Cookie Company at the Melvern Lake Marina. It holds some pretty special sentimental value to her, so we’d sure love to help get it back where it belongs! ❤️

🚴 FOUND — Water Bottle

Our first responders picked up this water bottle along the course and brought it back to us. If it’s yours, we’d love to get it back to you, too!

If you have any information on either item, just shoot us a message and we’ll figure out a game plan!

10/12/2026

🏁🇺🇸 THE RESULTS ARE IN! 🇺🇸🏁

The miles have been made, the dust is settling, and the official Lap the Lake 2026 results are ready! 🎉

🏆 Check out your results here:

https://sites.chronotrack.com/event/90607/results

📸 NOW ABOUT THOSE PICTURES…

Our amazing photographers are working their way through hundreds of moments from race day, and we can’t wait to share them with you! Give them a little time to work their magic, and keep your eyes right here on our page as photos start rolling in!

We’ve got LOTS more to share from Saturday — pictures, shout-outs, thank-yous, and some pretty heartwarming moments that reminded us what Lap The Lake is really all about. 🥹

Unfortunately, the real world is calling and it’s back to work for all of us, so we’ll be rolling things out as we can!

BUT don’t wander off just yet… we’re not done celebrating Lap The Lake 2026! ❤️🤍💙

10/08/2026

🚨 LAP THE LAKE PARTICIPANTS — HELP US SPREAD THE WORD! 🇺🇸

Well, we’re not entirely sure where all our emails wandered off to, but apparently some of them didn’t find their way into your inboxes! 🤷‍♀️

So we’re bringing the important race-day details right here to Facebook!

📸 PLEASE TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO READ THROUGH THE SCREENSHOTS BELOW! There’s a lot of important information about packet pickup, start times, routes, parking, and all the race-day shenanigans.

AND WE NEED YOUR HELP! 👇

If you’re participating, please TAG your friends, family, or anyone you know who’s joining us Saturday! Share this post, spread the word, and help us make sure nobody misses the important stuff.

We’re just TWO DAYS away from making some serious , and we’ve got a whole lot of moving parts coming together!

Thanks for helping us get the word out. We can’t wait to see you at the lake! ❤️🤍💙

Ride • Run • Ruck 🇺🇸