There’s less than 2 months until the Pineland Farms Trail Challenge on Memorial Day Weekend. I’m really looking forward to the races this year, which have been expanded to take place over 2 days with a lot of new races so that your entire family can take part.
I’m definitely planning on running the barefoot 5k on Saturday, but I haven’t decided which race I’m going to run on Sunday. All 3 have something to offer so I will see how I feel after the Exeter Marathon in a week and a half to decide if I want to run the 50k again, run nice and fast in the 25k, or revisit the 50 mile distance.
I may also be one of the speakers on the panels on Saturday.
Here’s an email I got from my friend Erik last week that would make me want to take part in the Trail Challenge even if I hadn’t already decided I’d be there! It does a great job of describing everything that is happening throughout the weekend.
time to spring forward…
5k, 10k, 25k, 50k, or 50miles!
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If you love running on roads or trails in New England then you won’t want to miss the fifth annual Pineland Farms Trail Running Festival. Now there are seven challenging events to choose from, educational seminars, family events, and a huge post-race festival. Please join us on Saturday and Sunday 5/29 and 5/30 in New Gloucester, Maine.
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From Challenge To Festival
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 In the past 4 years the Pineland Farms Trail Challenge has become so popular among running enthusiasts that we’ve decided to take it to the next level and transform the event into a 2-day running festival. Now, runners can challenge themselves in 7 possible events including a 5k, 10k, canicross, barefoot 5k, 25k, 50k, and 50mile! And that’s where the fun begins. The whole Pineland experience includes a BBQ meal with many homemade salads and desserts, free beer from Smuttynose Brewing Co., a recovery zone fueled by Muscle Milk, free massage, live music, 3 different athlete shirts in men’s and women’s sizes, educational seminars, kids races, a pasta dinner party with entertainment, tent camping, and enthusiastic volunteers from local booster clubs.
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Local Community Support
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Back by popular demand: The Runner’s Choice award will be given to the best aid station as voted upon by you, the runner. On Sunday each of the four themed aid stations will be hosted by a local booster club representing different youth activities. The people who will be serving you and making this a special experience will be the beneficiaries of this event — they include: the Mollyockett Pony Club, the Gray New Gloucester High School Booster Club, the Falmouth Middle School Nordic ski team, the Greely Middle School running program, and the Maine Youth Orchestra.
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Seminars — New in 2010!
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 At the Pineland Farms Trail Running Festival seasoned veterans and novice runners will have the opportunity to learn something new. On Saturday afternoon you can attend two seminars on the following topics:
- Introduction to Canicross
- Presented by Christina Eagle – Women’s World Champion in Canicross, 2009 IFSS Dryland World Championships and Kathy Pickett, owner Nooksack Racing Supply
- Barefoot and Minimalistic Running
- Presented by Vibram FiveFingers and Maine Running Company
- Beer and cheese pairing
- Presented by Smuttynose Brewing Co and Pineland Farms Creamery
- Training for your first ultra marathon
- A round-table discussion and advice given by the folks in the Trail Monster Running group
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Kids Events — New in 2010!
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The family-friendly event holds something for everyone — including kids — and hundreds of spectators, family members, and friends come out to join runners in the celebration. Following the races on Saturday we will be hosting fun events for kids and adults (who want to act like kids) including a 3-legged, a wheel barrow race, and an egg carrying contest.
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Canicross
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Dogs have always been part of the fun at Pineland Farms. The largest canicross race in New England is held here. The only thing more captivating than watching the start of a canicross is being one of those runners and getting pulled by a dog delirious with excitment.
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Barefoot 5k — New in 2010!
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Barefoot runners now have their own 5km race. To the best of our knowledge there are no others races in existence dedicated to barefoot running. The trails at Pineland are perfectly suited for this since the surface is mainly grass or dirt with virtually no roots or rocks. There will be two divisions in this race: barefoot and shod. Those in the shod division will be allowed to wear minimalistic footwear such as Vibram FiveFingers, water/aqua shoes, and huaraches. Vibram FiveFingers will be supplying awards and representatives will be on-site to talk about barefoot running during the Saturday afternoon seminars.
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Tent Camping — New in 2010!
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Tent camping will be available at nearby Bradbury Mountain State Park. A group site has been reserved for Pineland Farms participants. The park is only 3.5 miles from the race venue. Amenities include shower and washing facilities. There are slots for 60 tents on a first come first serve basis. The cost per tent is $3.21 paid at the gatehouse.
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I hope to see you there.
Sincerely,
Erik Boucher
Race Director
207-210-8655
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| Don’t delay, register today! |
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Schedule Of Events
Saturday, May 29th
10 am: 10 km
10:10 am: Canicross 5km
11 am: 5 km
11:10 am: Barefoot 5km
11:30 am: BBQ and beer
1 pm: kids races
2 pm: Seminars
5 pm Pasta Dinner Party
6 pm Entertainment
6 am: 50 mile
8 am: 50 km
10 am: 25 km
12 pm: BBQ and beer
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We’d like to thank John Rogers from the Maine Running Company for his generous support of our event.
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We’d like to thank Smuttynose Brewing Co. for providing free beer and hosting the beer and cheese pairing seminar. Not only is Smuttynose an outstanding beer, they are seriously green, so the cups you’ll be drinking out of will be biodegradable. How cool is that?
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When athletes cross the finish line they’ll pass by a recovery zone with all the usual post-race foods and bottles of Muscle Milk
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