Nipmuck Trail Marathon

NipMuck Trail Marathon

The NipMuck Trail Marathon is a trail race held on a northern section of the Nipmuck Trail in Ashford, Connecticut. The event offers a full 26.4 mile marathon and a relay option that covers the same course in two segments.

• 26.4 mile marathon
• Marathon relay, two person teams

The course is a double out-and-back that uses a 13 mile segment of the Nipmuck Trail. The start and midpoint are located at Perry Hill Road in Ashford. From the start the route runs south for 6.2 miles to Route 44, returns to the start, then runs north for 7 miles to Boston Hollow Road and back to the finish at Perry Hill Road.

Navigation relies on the Blue-Blazed trail markers; the marathon course will not be specially marked. There are nine aid stations along the route. Most aid stations are fully stocked while a few provide water only. The longest gap between aid stations is 4.1 miles. Runners may leave supplies at the start to pick up on the second half of the course.

Time cutoffs are applied to account for heavier climbing in the second half: reach the midpoint (about 12.4 miles) within 3 hours 15 minutes, the second turnaround (about 19.4 miles) within 5 hours 20 minutes, and the finish within 8 hours. The course includes steep, rocky, and slippery sections; parts are relatively inaccessible and emergency response may be delayed in some areas.

The race is part of the Blue-Blazed Trail Running Series. Entry is limited to 180 runners, there is no race-day registration, registration is handled online, and the event maintains a no-refunds policy. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.