2016 Wurtsboro 30k
Photo- Paul Ostrander
4.3.16
Paul Ostrander
Wurtsboro—Runners from the Hudson Valley and beyond, gathered together in high spirits Saturday morning to compete in the Wurtsboro 30k road race. The race is part of the Long Path- eight race series- and is aimed at bringing the public's attention to this volunteer up-kept trail that runs from New York City to Albany. 52 competitors participated in this year’s race.
Ken Posner, who competed in the Wurtsboro race Saturday, directs a number of the races in the Long Path series explained how this race works into the scheme of the larger series.
“You get points for each race, which is the miles of the division that you’re in divided your relative finishing time. So, if you finish the 70 mile SRT but, it takes you twice as long as the winner, you get 35 points and the winner gets 70 points. And so, we give Male, Female, Male Master and Female Master we appoint them at the end of the season and we have some special prizes for them,” said Posner.
Paul Ostrander
Wurtsboro—Runners from the Hudson Valley and beyond, gathered together in high spirits Saturday morning to compete in the Wurtsboro 30k road race. The race is part of the Long Path- eight race series- and is aimed at bringing the public's attention to this volunteer up-kept trail that runs from New York City to Albany. 52 competitors participated in this year’s race.
Ken Posner, who competed in the Wurtsboro race Saturday, directs a number of the races in the Long Path series explained how this race works into the scheme of the larger series.
“You get points for each race, which is the miles of the division that you’re in divided your relative finishing time. So, if you finish the 70 mile SRT but, it takes you twice as long as the winner, you get 35 points and the winner gets 70 points. And so, we give Male, Female, Male Master and Female Master we appoint them at the end of the season and we have some special prizes for them,” said Posner.
Advertisement-Eight race series on the Long Path
The prizes include a $50 gift certificate for the Aroma Bistro, a $35 gift certificate for Kenko Outfitters and, for those who can log 100 miles traveled on the Long Path Trail, a commemorative coin acknowledging their achievement.
The Wurtsboro race was initiated in 2004 by Brian Cavanaugh, a USATF certified instructor and member of the Sullivan Striders. The running club hosts the race and receive the proceeds of the race, to provide a challenge for local and visiting runners alike. Its approximately 18.6 mile length traverses a number of challenging obstacles, including the first leg of the race which is an intense three plus mile climb, followed by many oscillations and rolling hills thereafter.
The Wurtsboro race was initiated in 2004 by Brian Cavanaugh, a USATF certified instructor and member of the Sullivan Striders. The running club hosts the race and receive the proceeds of the race, to provide a challenge for local and visiting runners alike. Its approximately 18.6 mile length traverses a number of challenging obstacles, including the first leg of the race which is an intense three plus mile climb, followed by many oscillations and rolling hills thereafter.
So we get some die-hard runners
Race Director Donald Thurston said the course appeals to avid runners who are looking for a real challenge that is between 5k and full marathon.
“So we get some die-hard runners, some of them are training for marathons; so, it’s a good long run. Those that are looking for something a little more, definitely a little more, challenging, a little harder than your 5 or 10k and not a full marathon but, it almost feels just as tough,” he said.
This year, runners were met with inclement weather, by way of rain, a circumstance that Time-keeper Dennis Toscano said has been prevalent in many of the Wurtsboro 30k’s past races but, does not seem to bother the competitors.
“A lot of them [the competitors] that come here are like, ‘Oh my God, it’s so great,’ because they start heating up and this keeps them cool. It’s not so cold that it becomes annoying,” said Tuscano.
Runner Kate Stoker of Connecticut, who came with a group of about five others from out-of-state, said the course was not easy but, the challenge of the race is what brought her and her friends to Sullivan County.
“I think it’s a challenge. I mean, as you’re going through it, you’re kind of saying to yourself, ‘Why am I doing this? Why do I put myself through it?’, but, by the time you cross that finish line, you’re so proud of yourself and what you’ve done. So, I don’t know; it’s just so fulfilling,” said Stoker.
Brian Hickey, a Wurtsboro race veteran who came in first overall, said that the course was a bit challenging but, was surprised at the pace he was able to keep in order to win and sees it as a good indicator for a marathon he will run soon.
“You know, I ran this four years ago and I averaged about 6:55 a mile. I didn’t think I was in that kind of shape but, I wanted to keep it around 7:00. I ran a 7:05 pace. So, I’m running a marathon Memorial Day weekend in Burlington and I would like to keep that around 7:05-7:10. So, this is kind of a good indicator of where I’m at and I’ve got a little less than two months to go before that marathon; so, I’m happy with it,” said Hickey.
Overall, it seems that runners were happy with the course and conditions, despite the weather. However, husband and wife team Mary and Andrew Ross, who came as part of the NYC Hudson Dusters and the Hash House Harriers, running in a relay team of four, said they had some advice for future participants.
Mary said jokingly, “Have your husband run the first leg because it’s a great one.”
Complete Results
“So we get some die-hard runners, some of them are training for marathons; so, it’s a good long run. Those that are looking for something a little more, definitely a little more, challenging, a little harder than your 5 or 10k and not a full marathon but, it almost feels just as tough,” he said.
This year, runners were met with inclement weather, by way of rain, a circumstance that Time-keeper Dennis Toscano said has been prevalent in many of the Wurtsboro 30k’s past races but, does not seem to bother the competitors.
“A lot of them [the competitors] that come here are like, ‘Oh my God, it’s so great,’ because they start heating up and this keeps them cool. It’s not so cold that it becomes annoying,” said Tuscano.
Runner Kate Stoker of Connecticut, who came with a group of about five others from out-of-state, said the course was not easy but, the challenge of the race is what brought her and her friends to Sullivan County.
“I think it’s a challenge. I mean, as you’re going through it, you’re kind of saying to yourself, ‘Why am I doing this? Why do I put myself through it?’, but, by the time you cross that finish line, you’re so proud of yourself and what you’ve done. So, I don’t know; it’s just so fulfilling,” said Stoker.
Brian Hickey, a Wurtsboro race veteran who came in first overall, said that the course was a bit challenging but, was surprised at the pace he was able to keep in order to win and sees it as a good indicator for a marathon he will run soon.
“You know, I ran this four years ago and I averaged about 6:55 a mile. I didn’t think I was in that kind of shape but, I wanted to keep it around 7:00. I ran a 7:05 pace. So, I’m running a marathon Memorial Day weekend in Burlington and I would like to keep that around 7:05-7:10. So, this is kind of a good indicator of where I’m at and I’ve got a little less than two months to go before that marathon; so, I’m happy with it,” said Hickey.
Overall, it seems that runners were happy with the course and conditions, despite the weather. However, husband and wife team Mary and Andrew Ross, who came as part of the NYC Hudson Dusters and the Hash House Harriers, running in a relay team of four, said they had some advice for future participants.
Mary said jokingly, “Have your husband run the first leg because it’s a great one.”
Complete Results
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