Dear Friends,

Warning: It is possible to get a serious injury in this race. If you run recklessly you'll increase your chances but even if you are careful it's still possible to get tripped up or slip on something. This could result in an immobilizing injury that could put you a few hours away from medical attention. It could mean expensive medical care and an extended period of time away from work. To run this race you have to accept full responsibility for what happens to you. If you don't have health insurance don't do this race. No matter how careful you are plan on falling. The faster you run the more it hurts. You must be at least 18 to run this race.

No new runners accepted for 2010 unless you have completed 6 or more races in the Grand Tree Series in 2009. Other races on trails you can use to qualify for NipMuck are the Northern Nipmuck (16 miles) in April, Seven Sisters (12 miles, 5000 feet elevation gain) and 2 weeks before NipMuck the Soapstone Half Marathon. For info on these races go to runwmac.com.

This is not a road race! This event is 26 plus or minus miles of narrow wooded trails with an elevation gain of 2300 feet. You will spend more energy per mile in this race then in any race on paved roads. If you add an hour to your road marathon time you'll get a good estimation of how long it will take you to complete the course. We will have people on the course if you choose to run a marathon in up to 8 hours which is the time limit for this race. Please respect this time limit.

The Nipmuck Trail runs from Mansfield, CT to the state line in Union, CT. The section we will be doing starts on Perry Hill Rd in Ashford. Look at the map on the course information page. This is a small country road in the middle of nowhere so park your car and yourself way off to the side. This road stays open to local traffic being the primary route to the dump so don't hang out in the middle of the road. The marathon runs south for a 1/4 of a marathon, then back to the start, then north for a 1/4 of a marathon, then back to Perry Hill Rd to finish. 60% of your time will be spent in the second half due to hills, more distance and the heat of the day.

There is a chance of getting off the course. After doing this race for 24 years this section is clear and well marked. Markers will be put up at critical places. You'll realize you're lost when you look up and don't see any blue dots. The first thing you do is look behind you. If you see a blue dot you're on the course and you can continue forward. If you turnaround and don't see a blue dot retrace your steps until you find one. In the end course monitoring responsibilities are yours. Complaints about getting lost will be laughed at. It's important to stay on the trail because some sections go throug private land and these landowners should not be bothered, but if confronted, thanked for letting us use their land.

Someone will wait until the end to make sure everyone returns, so it's important if you drop out to make sure the people in charge of this race know you're off the course. At the end and at the half way point food will be provided. Plenty of water is on the course so drink lots so you don't puke. Carry a pint of water with you into the woods. We'll let you know how much water is out there at the prerace briefing to be held at 7:45. Be there, ready to race at that time.

If this race changed your life and you want to run a dozen more trail races write to Trail Running News, WMAC, PO Box 1517, North Adams, MA 01247. They do the Grand Tree series or punch up runwmac.com. Any Questions about NipMuck call between 8PM and 10PM at 860-455-1096 or punch up .

Registration Information