The Seneca 7

Geneva, NY

Sunday, April 26, 2026

Headed into our 14th in-person running, the Seneca7 is an opportunity to spend a day with 6 of your favorite sweaty smelly funny and somewhat athletically inclined friends in a 77.7’ish mile circumnavigation of Seneca Lake.

Join us for a race inspired by good fortune and a deep body of blue. The Seneca7 will introduce you to the wonders of Seneca Lake: rushing inlets, crashing waterfalls, banks bathed in golden sunlight. All you (and your team) have to do is run around it.

Event registration opens each October and has been consistently capping out in about 5 minutes. So set those alarms with enough lead time to set and ready to registration click ahead of 7am on Friday, October 31st.

The Basics

A 7-person 77.7’ish mile counter-clockwise relay around Seneca Lake starting and ending at the Finger Lakes Welcome Center in Lakefront Park in Geneva. It passes and stops at numerous vineyards and small towns. Provides near and distant Seneca Lake views, a waterfall in Hector, and through historic State Parks such as Sampson. All that and still it’s possible that all you'll remember is your funny smelly six new best friends.

Race Date: Sunday, April 26, 2026

Registration: Opened to a total of 310 teams, loyal returners early, charity a separate pool, but with the field capping out on October 31st in 2.5 minutes at RunSignUp here.

HQ (Check-In, Start & Finish): Finger Lakes Welcome Center / 35 Lake Front Dr, Geneva, NY

Start Time: Wave starts beginning in Seneca Lake State Park at 5:45 with final / fast wave at 9:45

Finish Time/s: First team projected to finish around 4:30, course cutoff at 8:00.

Below you’ll find the crux pre-race info including button-links to the 2026 Details Course Guide, Start Wave Times with Team ID’s for the Tracker, the interactive course map via Plotaroute, and prior year leg splits for reference.

Pre-Race Briefing 2026

Link to Apr 20 Race Week Email
Link to Apr 20 Race Week Email
Video of Pre Race Q&A Session
Video of Pre Race Q&A Session
2026 Detailed Course Guide (Drive Location)
2026 Detailed Course Guide (Drive Location)
2026 Detailed Course Guide (Doc Download)
2026 Detailed Course Guide (Doc Download)
2026 Start Wave Times & Team Tracker ID's
2026 Start Wave Times & Team Tracker ID's
2026 Interactive Course Map
2026 Interactive Course Map

Route map for S7 26 by Ian Golden on plotaroute.com

2025 Leg Split Results
2025 Leg Split Results

Tracking

Live Tracker & Results

In addition to finisher results, which will be posted at Leone Timing, we’ll again use the Live Tracker created by S7 Co-Founder Jeff Henderson. The link to the Team Tracker is below. Teams will take their unique Team ID #, found in the Wave Start Time spreadsheet, and insert the number immediately after the “=” sign in the url. At each exchange teams will plug in time of day for that exchange area and click Add. Post race you can see the list of paces, teams passed or “roadkills”, etc…

This will be live around April 21st for teams to experiment with, and cleared ahead of race day for the slate to wipe clean. once the start list is truly finalized. The second link is the larger picture for others to spectate.

Team Tracker (Teams insert ID# after "=" sign in url)
Team Tracker (Teams insert ID# after "=" sign in url)
Team Tracker (for Spectating)
Team Tracker (for Spectating)

Rules of the Road

You want to get around Seneca Lake quickly. We want to get you around Seneca Lake safely. So, here are the rules governing the 77.7 (‘ish)-mile journey. Follow them and we'll have a great time. Violate them and suffer the consequences!

Format Rules

  1. Relays must have 7 team members, registered, with waivers signed by March 31st. and ALL members must be present at the start prior to the starting of their wave.

  2. At least one runner must consume the pre-race pre-recorded briefing once it’s live. We’ll figure out how to incentive this or hold feet to the fire of getting it done. Details to come.

  3. Teams must rotate runners in the same sequence throughout the race. "Mix and match" of course legs is not allowed.

  4. If a runner is injured or unable to complete their three legs, existing relay members must fill in, picking up additional legs, but remaining in the original leg sequence.

  5. Relays will be provided a slap bracelet to be used as a baton, BIB#’s to be worn on the front, and one BIB# with the timing chip. The slap bracelet must be passed on as the baton throughout the day and the chipped bib must be worn by the final leg runner.

  6. Teams must have a printed or downloaded copy of the course guide. It has info on course legs to review before each leg, driving directions, and time stamps. Some areas of the course will not have cell reception, so print or download in advance.

  7. Certain exchange points have time considerations. If your team reaches the checkpoint at Exchange 7 too early, you will be held. If your team arrives too late to the cut-offs (exchanges 17 and 20), you will need to return to your vehicle because the course will be closed after that point.

Rules With (Including) Disqualification Penalties

  1. Teams must provide an accurate pace projection for the relay as a whole. These times are necessary for smooth exchange points, the safety of both teams and volunteers, and to be sure all teams have the best chance at getting in before the course cutoffs and sunset. Teams overshooting their projected pace by more than 10% will be held at Glenora, and, if needed, again at Bonavista, be levied a 27 minute time penalty to the finish result, and be disqualified from category awards.

  2. Team vehicles must not travel or idle alongside runners, pull over to cheer for their runners, and must follow the instructions found in the Course Guide. During certain legs motorized vehicles must take a different route than runners. Failure to follow Course Guide instructions will result in immediate disqualification.

  3. Some exchange points require a road crossing between the exchange area and the vehicle parking area. At these exchanges, there will be a single, designated crossing point that must be used by all participants AND per the direction of volunteers. No runner is permitted to cross outside of designated points or outside of the discretion of volunteers. Standing in the roadway or the vehicle right-of-way is prohibited.

  4. We’re stoked for you to visit a number of partnering Vineyards on course. Support them in purchasing a case. But, there is NO CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL during the race at any time. Save it for a post race gathering.

  5. Relays may only use ONE vehicle. Said vehicle must fit in one standard parking space. All vehicles outside of the singular in-race vehicle MUST park in City lots or streets outside of the Welcome Center Staging area. The ONE race vehicle is the only one permitted to be parked at the Welcome Center for the start or at the finish. The ONE vehicle policy will be “policed” in 2025 and teams found to be in violation will be disqualified.

  6. Participants are permitted to relieve themselves in event portajohns, businesses open to the public, or parks used along the way. Any teams found or reported to have entrants relieving themselves outside of these, and including on private property, will be disqualified. It’s gross and a sure fire way to get communities to despise runners and the event. Along this line, no littering. Pack it out.

  7. A safety vest must be worn on certain legs (indicated in the Course Guide), as well as by any runner on the course after 7pm. (If you expect to be mid-leg at 7pm, don the vest at the beginning of that leg.) Your runner will not be allowed to exit the exchange point until the vest is on. A safety vest will be made available to your team; you may use your own if it is *at least* as reflective as the one provided.

Leg Details

Schedule

Pre-Race

October 31, 2025 @ 07:00: Open Registration Live

November 1, 2025 @ 07:00: Charity Registration Live

March 31: Final team rosters in RunSignUp, and team paces due (note, only original registering Team Captains can modify paces - in questions on their registrations, teams with new Captains email paces over to Ian@RedNewtRacing.com)

April 14 (in the wee hours): Team Start Times

April 15th: Pre-Race Briefing recorded and embedded both above, and at this link for each team to watch (mandatory).

April 21 @7:00pm: Ian / Jackie on for live Q&A. Tune into either the S7 Facebook or RNR YouTube pages to view and weigh in and will be linked after.

April 25: Packet Pick-Up @ Finger Lakes Welcome Center from 10:30 - 2:30. At least one member of your team must attend pickup & teammates encouraged. NO Race-Day Pickup!!

Race Day

April 26, 2026:

  • 05:45: 1st wave start @ Lake Front behind Finger Lakes Welcome Center

  • 9:55: too-early cutoff at Glenora Exchange #7 (i.e., don’t arrive before then)

  • 6:30: all teams must reach Sampson North exchange #17

  • 4:30: first finisher expected in at Lakefront Park finish

  • 7:45: all teams must reach Watershed exchange #20.

 FAQs

  • Yes.

    Male Teams: At least 5 males, up to two females or non binary.

    Female Teams: All 7 must indentify as female.

    Mixed Teams: Any gender combination outside of Male Team (Members may identify as male, non-binary, or with up to two females) or Female (All identify as Female) team criteria.

  • Hopefully this won’t be the case. If it arises the other six team members must pick up the injured runners legs.

  • Yes, only one vehicle per team, and it must be small enough to fully fit within a typical parking space. Teams found to be using more than one vehicle will be disqualified and not be permitted to return as it’s both unfair and creates a safety issue impacting all others.

  • All teams are expected to be self-supported in terms of hydration (and fuel). That means that there are no water stations out on the course. Pack what you need! Just in case, there are plenty of places to stop and fill up water from real faucets, or to purchase items along the course. Remember, your team van is much faster than your runner. If you're at risk of running low, please replenish your supplies along the way! Stay hydrated!

  • Start waves are based on honest team assessments of projected pace. We pour over start waves and put them through simulators in order to as best we can minimize exchange point congestion. No team, if their estimate is accurate, should have trouble completing within the allowed window. If your estimated pace is way off, we make no guarantees but will also stop and hold faster teams who submitted slower time estimates. If a team’s submitted estimate changes significantly based on a member changeup, email Ian@RedNewtRacing.com for conisderation.

  • Instructions for team vehicles to follow are laid out clearly in the course guide. The course guide is available online, and every team must have a copy with them (printed or downloaded to their device) during the race. Do not rely on wifi to be available everywhere on the course! Print or download the PDF version of the course guide today! 

  • NO! A high-visibility safety vest that can be seen from afar is required on several legs along the course! To find out which ones, and ensure you are operating within the rules, review the online course guide! 

    And remember, if you expect to be a runner out on the course after 7 p.m., put your vest on before you start running - all runners on the course after 7 p.m. must wear a vest! 

  • The vast majority of exchange points will have portajohns (Covert Rd and Ol’Fourteener will not on account of no space). Some will be marked to give “next runner” priority status. Please allow that to happen. Please only enter exchange point businesses to use bathrooms if you are purchasing their products. There are other locations to pull off to such as parks and larger entities such as Walmart.

  • Yes, you are a unit for the day. The entire team needs to be at the start and at the finish together.

Seneca Lake and the Finger Lakes are an amazing and vibrant part of the world. That is the stage. What makes the event possible are the businesses, municipalities, and state entities partnered with for staging & transition areas. Please take a moment to say thank you to these entities. Purchase something along the way. Make a donation to them if you see fit sometime this year, or plug into one of their own events. We’re grateful to be part of so many amazing entities and people.

The Beautiful Foundation & Framework

The Heart & Soul Letting You Go ‘Round

Felt in the Bonavista drummers, the beating heart of the Seneca7 is the community that makes it possible. There are a dozen non-profit organizations, teams, local businesses providing food or services at cost, all coming together to support teams in their passage. From groups increasing traffic safety at intersections, navigation assist in tricky areas, check in to break down organization, we are indebted. Many have been with the event from the beginning. Please take a moment to stop and thank these groups. Ask where their from, what their groups do, and, if an annual donation or participation is in the cards, lend them a consideration.