Froggy Five Mile & Hard as Hell Half Marathon

Froggy Five Mile & Hard as Hell Half Marathon

The event comprises two distance options staged from Beartown State Forest near Benedict Pond in Great Barrington / Monterey, MA. It moved to Beartown in 2025 from its previous Adirondacks location; the Berkshires courses have more elevation and the half is roughly 13.5 miles at the new site.

Distances

• Froggy Five Mile (5M) - trail loop around Benedict Pond.
• Hard as Hell Half Marathon (about 13.5M) - mostly dirt roads with ~1600 feet gain.

The Froggy Five Mile is a single-loop trail race with substantial climbing, mixed singletrack, a stretch on the Appalachian Trail, and technical footing including roots and rocks. Elevation gain is about 950 feet with one water refill at mile 3.5. The Hard as Hell Half mixes dirt roads, some pavement and trail, has roughly 1,600 feet of climbing, and three water refill points at approximately 4.3M, 7.7M, and 10.7M.

This is a cupless event; participants must carry their own bottles and any nutrition. The course provides water refills only and asks that discarded items be left only at water stops or the finish. Parking options include limited free spots within the forest, paid parking at the venue with different fees for in-state and out-of-state plates, and free off-site parking at the Roadside Cafe with scheduled van shuttles to the start/finish area.

Amenities are limited: a post-race BBQ, music and announcing; there are no physical giveaways or awards. Pets and strollers may be on-site but may not participate on the course. Cut-offs are enforced at water stops; extreme weather conditions such as lightning or a forecast heat index of 100°F can alter or cancel the half marathon. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.