Bear Brook Trail Marathon

View from 24 Hours of Great Glen

Gorham, NEW HAMPSHIRE

"It's not where you finish, it's how you finish that counts."

Bear Brook Trail Marathon

Saturday, July 27, 2013

Bear Brook State Park

Allenstown, NEW HAMPSHIRE

NOTE: THIS IS A TRAIL RACE!

The Bear Brook Marathon is a scenic and challenging 26.7 mile single loop trail race at Bear Brook State Park in Allenstown, NH. Runners will circumnavigate the entire 10,000 acre park on a 95% singletrack and doubletrack with only 1/3 mile of pavement. There will be many fast “runnable” flowy singletrack sections combined with challenging climbs and rocky descents. Expect there will be four very well stocked aid stations throughout the course. Although there will be multiple trails, turns, and junctions we will do our best to "overmark" the course. But with any trail race you must be aware of where you are on the course at all times. The marathon will consist of a single loop.

Race director: Ryan Welts

Course designer: Ryan Welts

Marathon: 26.7 miles [Field Limit: 200 participants]

Registration: 5:00 - 6:00 AM

Race starts at 6:30 AM

Marathon: $35 pre-registration

Sorry, NO day of event registration. Online registration closes July 25, 2013.

Awards for Top 3 men & women as well as a unique finishers awards for all finishers!

Course Rules: All runners and crew must practice "Leave No Trace". Any runner or crew seen littering on the course or in the park will not be allowed to return to the event. The trail can be a busy place on the weekend and runners may encounter hikers, mountain bikes or horses on the trail. Headphones will be permitted, but PLEASE make sure you are aware of what's going on around you! Trekking poles are permitted.

Dropping out: Runners not able to complete the race due to physical or mental circumstances must check-in solo or aided to the nearest aid station, notify aid station volunteers, and turn in their bib number to aid station personnel. This policy is to ensure that all runners are accounted for during the race and is for the safety of all participants. Runners failing to notify race organizers or volunteers of a dropped status or who fail to turn in their bib numbers will not be permitted to return in future years or endeavors.

Pacers: Pacers will not be allowed.

Crews: Access to all aid stations will be by foot or bike. Crews are to provide assistance to runners only within 200 meters of an aid station. Catching runners outside of aid stations is strongly discouraged. Supplies present at aid stations are for the use and consumption of athletes only. Driving directions for crews will be handed out at registration on race day.

Detailed course description: Starting out from the snowmobile parking lot runners will head down the Snowmobile Trail toward One Mile Trail then bear left onto Bear Brook Trail. At the junction of Bear Brook Trail and Little Bear Trail runners will turn hard right and run Little Bear Trail toward Hayes Field. Runners will cross Hayes Field and gain the Bobcat Trail. Staying on Bobcat Trail to the junction with Broken Boulder Trail and turning left then veering right onto Pitch Pine Trail. Runners will reach AID STATION #1 (AS#1) at Campground Road at Mile 6. Leaving AS#1 competitors will cross the road and continue on Pitch Pine Trail and then bearing right at Y intersection out in a logged area. This will lead to Hemlock Trail where runners will bear right. Runners will follow Hemlock Trail to the end and turn left on Snowmobile Trail just before paved road. Follow Snowmobile Trail to pavement at campground and turn left toward beach. Cross the beach and bear right on to Beaver Pond Trail singletrack. Follow Beaver Pond Trail to its junction with the Lynx Trail-turn left at first junction after a short climb turn right to stay on Lynx Trail follow Lynx a short distance and bear left onto short singletrack section then rejoin Lynx Trail bearing left climbing to AID STATION #2 (AS#2) at Podunk Road at approximately Mile 10.9. Leaving AS#2 join Hall Mountain Trail climbing over Hall Mountain and Follow Hall Mt. trail to JCT with Ferret Trail at 4H camp right onto Ferret Trail stay straight through the row of boulder and follow edge of field to far end and turn right onto singletrack to then turn right onto Hall Mountain singletrack. Follow Hall Mountain singletrack to end at AID STATION #3 at Podunk Road at approximately Mile 15.9. Leave AS#3 and run west down Podunk Road to junction with Broken Boulder Trail. Turn right onto Broken Boulder Trail then left onto Chipmunk Trail. Follow Chipmunk Trail to junction with Spruce Pond Road and turn left climbing up to and crossing Podunk Road onto Bear Hill Trail. Right on Bear Hill Trail then sharp left at junction with Hedgehog Ledge Trail. Follow Hedgehog Ledge Trail to end and take right onto Ferret Trail. At junction turn right onto Lowland Trail. Follow Lowland Trail to AID STATION #4 (AS#4) at Hayes marsh at Mile 23.5. Leave AS #4 continuing on Lowland Trail and take left onto Carr Ridge Trail at 4 way Jct. Follow Carr Ridge Trail down to junction with Cascade Trail. Left on Cascade follow Cascade to jct with Catamount Hill trail Cross bridge and head uphill follow Catamount Hill Trail over Catamount Hill summit and descend to One Mile Trail. Turn left and head to finish at snowmobile lot .