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Breakneck Point Trail Runs 

PictureBreakneck Point Trail Runs Marathon Elevation Profile
Elevation gain, rock scrambles, single track, jeep trails, steep, gnarly, exposed, and absolutely beautiful- Breakneck Point Trail Runs.
The Red Newt Racing(RNR) promoted marathon and half marathon are in their second year and registration has nearly doubled from last year; the word is out about this race.
Runners will head out at 7am Saturday from University Settlement Camp in Beacon and up to Breakneck Point in Hudson Highlands State Park Preserve. 
The half lollipops, it takes the white trail out, loops, and then takes the same trail back to the start. The first 6 miles are hilly.  At 5.6 miles the run crosses Route 9D and then ascends Breakneck Ridge with an elevation gain of about 1200 feet in one mile.   All told 6,500 feet of elevation will be gained and lost throughout the course.
The full has twice that, with two climbs of a seventy percent grade. This is trail running at its best. Breakneck Point is some of the most defining signature  pitches and terrain around.


PictureBreakneck Point Trail Runs Half Marathon Elevation Profile
“At this point of all the race I’ve created over the years it’s probably my favorite to run,” Breakneck Point Race Director Ian Golden, said. I’ve chosen a lot of beautiful places by intent. This has rugged trail, historic ruins, beautiful views. The climb up Breakneck Point is hand over foot.  That pitch followed by another screeish pitch, not the sort of thing typically found in the US”.
There is a choice of line up Breakneck Point that get more technical; if a runner is also a climber they might take a different line.
Last year’s race had a very competitive fields with some of the northeast’s top trail runners battling it out.  Ben Nephew, Ian Ridgeway, Carlo Agostinetto, Ryan Welts, Joshua Burns, Michael Dixon, Denis Mikhaylov, Jay Lemos, Kristina Folcik, Michael Chu rounding out the top ten finishers.
The top two Nephew and Ridgeway are part of the Mountain Peak Fitness running team and fought it out for an epic trail running finish.

“Runners are like kids in the candy shop playing out there. It’s so much different than just racing a marathon”.
They are a really fit top group according to Golden. The Breakneck last year was their first time functioning as a team. They had been training together and developing as a team. That really came through on that first day out last year.  Ridgeway waited for Nephew to refill his water bottle at one point so they could keep running together.
“They laid everything out there,” Golden said. “That last two miles is a very runnable downhill. If you’ve got anything left you can give it all. Ian got a hitch in his gate. Ben gave it everything. They went hard for five hours and ten minutes and then it was pretty wild”.
Finishing times: Nephew 5:12:22, Ridgway 5:12:24.  Watch video of the finish here.
The Breakneck Point Trail Runs offers a pretty epic day of adventure on beautiful trails surrounded and supported by a great community.
“Runners are like kids in the candy shop, playing out there. It’s so much different than just racing a marathon,” Golden said. “You’re just out there playing around in the woods with the effort, the enjoyment and the moment”.
RNR and MPF will be having a trail building day on Sunday for those who want to help give a little back. Trails at the Hudson Highlands Park Preserve are maintained by the NY NJ Trail Conference volunteers. Breakneck is one of the most popular hikes in NY and gets a mind boggling amount of traffic.
“We want to leave it better than we found it,” Golden said.
Good luck to all the runners and enjoy your day playing in the woods. ​​

Check back after the race for pics and tails of the trail.

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Mountain Peak Fitness

PicturePhoto Joe Azze
"Come further up,  come  further in!”    Aslain  extolled    his followers in  “The Last Battle”  the  final book in  the    Chronicles of  Narnia. Read more 

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  • Home
  • EVENTS
  • Activites
    • Run >
      • Trail Running
      • Road Running
      • Running Archives
    • Climb >
      • Rock Climbing
      • Ice Climbing
      • Hike
    • Bike >
      • Mountain Biking
      • Road Biking
    • Multi >
      • Triathlon
      • Duathlon
    • Swim
    • Paddle >
      • Snow >
        • Snowboarding/Skiing
        • Nordic Skiing
      • CAMP
  • People
    • GEAR
    • Health
  • Land
  • About
    • Submissions >
      • Donation Page