Lake Log #31: Blue Marsh Lake

Lake: Blue Marsh Lake
Location: Reading, PA
Date: October 4, 2026
Distance: 31.72 miles
Time: 8:18:42
Laps: 1
Event: Blues Cruise 50K

⭐ Why I Ran This Lake

Some lakes are training runs, some are spontaneous adventures, and some are big changes. Blue Marsh Lake was the site of Blues Cruise 50K, a trail race down in Pennsylvania. I was ready for another ultra, and it ended up being a tough day out there.

Someone also later pointed out a pretty incredible coincidence: my 31st lake was a run of roughly 31 miles! I definitely didn’t plan that, but it feels like a fitting milestone for this project.

🏃 The Run

This course was tougher than I thought it would be, and I hiked most of it and took a couple of nasty tumbles. I finished in 8 hours and 18 minutes, covering more than 31 miles and climbing 4,134 feet. It wasn’t an easy day, but I got it done.

Every ultra teaches you something, and this one was a reminder that trail races demand more than just running fitness. Sometimes the job is just to keep moving and get yourself to the finish.

🌅 Scenery Notes

Blue Marsh Lake provided the setting for this challenging trail adventure. While the focus was definitely on navigating the course and getting through the miles, it was another opportunity to experience a lake as a race. This wasn’t a leisurely loop around a peaceful lake. It was a full-on ultra, which demanded my undivided attention. I honestly didn’t even really have time to take many photos.