New York's Harriman State Park sits adjacent to the Hudson River, approximately 30 miles north of New York City in Sloatsburg. Its mountain setting, campgrounds and extensive running, hiking and biking trails, as well as its proximity to the nation's largest city makes it a popular destination for city dwellers looking to get in touch with nature. According to the state's park service, Harriman has more than 200 miles of trails, many of which are the setting for trail races during warmer weather months.
The RunAmuck 5K
The RunAmuck Festival is series of seven trail races in located in major cities east of the Mississippi River. New York's version took place on June 19, 2010 with registration future dates to be announced. The race is part serious competition, part fun run. Participants can register individually, as a couple or in a four-person team. Special divisions are opened for teams that wish to wear costumes, in the spirit of the event's title. The hilly five-kilometer trail is packed with obstacles--tires, mud pits, walls and river crossings. Race organizers sold out the 2010 event, which included live music and food vendors at the park. Proceeds from the event benefit AmeriCares, an international medical aid relief service.
NYARA's Fool's Rogaine
The International Rogaining Federation defines rogaining as a "sport of long-distance, cross country navigation," which relies on its competitors to work together as a team and develop strategy to complete a course and collect points over the race's duration. The New York Adventure Racing Association sanctions the Fool's Rogaine, a six-hour race at Harriman State Park annually held on the last Saturday of March.
The North Face Endurance Challenge
Outdoor clothier The North Face sponsors a series of 11 races across the United States called the Endurance Challenge. Harriman State Park plays host to part of the New York-based event. The highlight of the challenge is a 50-mile trail and road run, which begins in adjoining Bear Mountain State Park and continues into Harriman. Additional races include a 50-kilometer run, half and full marathons, and 5- and 10-kilometer road races. All but the latter two use a combination of trails and roadways in Harriman State Park. The event is held annually during the second weekend of May.
New York Tri/Biathlon Series
Biathletes and triathletes use Harriman State Park for sprint, half and full triathlons during the spring and summer. The New York Triathlon Club sponsors two races near the park's Lake Sebago each summer. Both days, typically Sundays in the middle of the month, feature sprint versions of the biathlon--six miles of trail-running based running and 16 miles of biking--and triathlon--half-mile swim, 16-mile bike ride and three-mile run. The 2010 editions of the run, held June 13 and August 15, marked the series' 25th anniversary.
Harryman Triathlon
The annual Harryman triathlon features a combination of trails and road running, combined with road biking and a swim at Lake Welch. Sanctioned by USA Triathlon, The Harryman attracted more than 350 competitors in 2010 to both the half and full triatlons. Genesis Adventures, the race organizer, schedules the event on the Saturday prior to the long Memorial Day weekend in May.
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