Bradbury Mountain hosts 2 trail racing series. The first is the Summer series which consists of 3 trail races, and the second is the Winter series which consists of 3 snowshoe races. The Breaker is the 2nd race of the Summer Series.
This was my second year running the Breaker, and I think that it is my favorite course of the three. While you only summit twice, you come within spitting distance of the top an additional 4 times in the 2 loop race.
I think my favorite part of the race is the Tote Road, which comes right after the Summit Trail. While Bradbury Mountain is really just a big hill, the Summit Trail goes from base to peak on a very short and steep path. I walk the majority of the trail, as running wouldn’t speed me up enough to justify the additional expenditure of energy.
The reason that I like the Tote Road is that it’s an easy trail to run fast on as long as you have a little experience in picking your path among the rocks and roots. It’s got a nice gentle downhill grade and is for the most part wide open (although we did have to dodge around some boy scounts building a bridge this year.)
That means that even though I got passed both times while walking up the Summit Trail, I was able to retake my position on the course within a few minutes of hitting the Tote Road immediately gapped the competition, not to see them again until the finish line. If I had wasted my energy on the Summit Trail, that would have been a much taller order.
Watch the video below for my full race report, and please excuse how dark it is…I’m playing with some new lights and obviously didn’t have them set up optimally:
Download This Video: MP4 – MP3 – Watch on YouTube – Photo Credit: Don Penta – Full Results
Video Transcription
There is one race left in the series this year, so if you’re going to be in Maine in September (which let’s be honest, is one of the best times of year to be up here!) then I recommend you sign up for the 12 mile Bruiser. You’ll want to sign up sooner rather than later, though, as the races have been selling out early this year and the Bruiser will be no different.
Full details are at the website: trailmonsterrunning.org/bradburydirt
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