Big Brad Ultras
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Big Brad Races : Pownal, ME
Big Brad Races is a trail running event organized by Trail Monster Running at Bradbury Mountain State Park. The event serves as the conclusion of the Bradbury Trail Running Series; finishers earn a Badass Hoodie and only the Half-Pint 25K counts toward the series standings and overall awards.
Two race options are offered:
- Pounder 50K: two laps of the loop
- Half-Pint 25K: one lap that scores in the series
The course uses classic Maine singletrack and passes over Tryon Mountain, around Elwood Loop (Snowman’s Loop), and through Bradbury Mountain State Park. Terrain includes steep hills, rocks, roots, and very little flat, plus about 1/2 mile of paved road and 1/4 mile of dirt road. The course description also mentions scenic vistas with fall foliage.
There are two fully stocked aid stations, PT Cruiser’s at the start/finish field and Snowman’s at the Tryon Mountain trailhead. The longest gap between aid stations is about 6 miles. Pounder runners may place one drop bag at the central aid station.
Field sizes are limited: the Pounder is capped at 80 runners and the Half-Pint at 120 runners, with specific registration policies when capacity is reached. Event rules include a 10 hour final cutoff, a requirement for headlamps if finishing in the dark, a cupless'ish policy asking runners to bring a reusable cup, no dogs on course, and a request that runners avoid headphones.
Trail Monster Running is a nonprofit run by volunteers. A portion of registration is donated to the Royal River Conservation Trust and leftover shirts or hoodies are donated to local shelters. All finishers receive a custom finisher glass; overall male and female champions receive a handcrafted Adirondack chair. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
