50 miler

It is a 54 mile ultramarathon through the Catskills beginning in Windham, N.Y. on the northern Black Dome Trail and then mostly following the Long Path from Acra Point all the way to downtown Phoenicia, N.Y.

THIS IS NOT LIKE ANY OTHER ULTRA YOU’VE RUN BEFORE!

This is a grueling, gnarly, nasty course with approximately 14,000 ft. of climbing, much of it rocky and precipitous.  To be sure, there are some runnable sections, but you will more often find yourself hiking uphill or down, sometimes hand over hand.  Expect this course to take you much longer than your average 50 miler. That’s why we are allowing 24 hrs. to complete this monster. Because of its remote and difficult nature, there will of necessity be a limited number of aid stations, 8 or 9, and runners should be prepared to spend up to 3 or 4 hrs between aid stations. You will have to be reasonably self-sufficient. To make matters worse, the course gets progressively more difficult as you go along! And to top it all off, the average runner will have to tackle this hardest terrain in the dark.

So…  There must be something that makes this race worthwhile, right???

Yes, the Catskills are truly scenic and wonderful, when you can look up every now and then to sneak a peak, and this will certainly become a memorable experience for anyone who takes on the challenge.

A hardy test for trail runners of any level, The North Face Endurance Challenge – New York winds along the western shores of the Hudson River and through the craggy foothills of the Catskill Mountains.
COURSE OVERVIEW
Runners can expect technical terrain and rocky footing that cuts to the chase, with some trails heading steeply uphill rather than zigzagging at a gentler grade. Descents end in wooded hollows before the next rapid climb exposing breathtaking views. Make no mistake; this will be a true test of off-road endurance.