Brave Women FLX 100K

By: Staff

The winter weather makes it tempting to stay bundled up at home, and it can be easy to write off exercising or going for that daily walk. But staying active year-round can help keep you sharp, healthy and on track to achieving your fitness goals.

And when you need some extra motivation, think of the brave women of the Finger Lakes – trailblazers like Harriet Tubman, Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and the Iroquois matriarchs – and the strength it took to carve out a new future for all of us in this fiercely beautiful region.

As the epicenter of the women’s rights movement, the Finger Lakes region celebrates women both past and present. Brave Women FLX, a program that kicked off in January 2020 to celebrate the centennial of the 19th Amendment, has a way for you to get involved:

Join the Brave Women FLX Winter 100K virtual challenge, going on now through March 31, 2022. This challenge is meant to spotlight the brave women of the Finger Lakes while encouraging physical activity, and it’s open to anyone!

So walk, hike, run, snowshoe, snowboard, ski, skate, skip, shimmy, shuffle, stroll—or all of the above—to celebrate brave women in the Finger Lakes and crush a winter 100K together or apart! Below are some of our favorite places to walk, run, shimmy, stroll, skip or hike while enjoying the beautiful outdoors in Cayuga County.

Auburn Fleming Trail (Auburn, NY)
This 1.6 mile trail follows a stretch of abandoned railroad bed along a network of streams and wetlands. Easy trail access on Dunning Avenue. Hiking, biking, cross-country skiing, and horseback riding permitted. The trail crosses over a couple of small bridges, one that is constructed of railroad ties and the other of steel.

Erie Canal Recreational Trail (Weedsport, NY)
This historic canal tow path is a recreational trail for hikers, bicyclists, horseback riders and, in winter, snowmobilers. It traverses the county from the village of Jordan to the Seneca River. High points include carved stone locks, the Centerport Aqueduct, Lock 52 and Richmond Aqueduct. Access to the trail is in Weedsport behind Arby’s on the north side of Route 31 or at the Centerport Aqueducts just outside of Weedsport.

Sterling Park and Nature Center
Up in the northern part of Cayuga County lies the charming village of Fair Haven. This spectacular 1400-acre site, with nearly two miles of Lake Ontario shoreline, features glacially formed bluffs with scenic vistas of Lake Ontario. Stretch your legs at Sterling Nature Center and explore the quaint village, stay at the bed and breakfast for the full, relaxing experience.