Week 35 of 2017 has come and gone but not without an adventure or two.

I could tell by the looks on people’s faces when I told them that I was from New Jersey and I arrived at Silverton two days before race day, never seeing the course before… I sensed concern...

After accumulating 32 tickets from several years of trying to get in, Harry was finally selected for the 2015 race

It was a another big weekend of racing for the team with The North Face Endurance Challenge visiting the great trails of Bear Mountain & Harriman State Park of NY, as well as the Rock the Ridge 50 Mile Endurance Challenge.

We covered just over 8 miles of trails in Sterling Forest, most of it was covered in ice. The rocks and trees were even wrapped with a thick layer of ice. With the weather we had today, it is especially important to be prepared and carry some emergency gear.

Thank you to MPF Athlete Julian Vicente for leading today's hike in Norvin Green State Forest! It was great to spend some trail time with a couple of new faces. We started 8am sharp and covered about 11 miles of fun, rocky trail with a lots of up and down. 

Temps started out at about 40º and rose steadily through the morning. Trails were slushy, some had ice and a little snow cover, others were wet but traction was surprisingly fine at times. Looks like some cold weather is in the forecast and more rain on the way tonight, microspikes may be in order. Lets hope for some snow this coming Tuesday!

As advertised the Wild and Scenic Bighorn 100 is probably the most scenic trail run that I have ever participated in. The terrain and views were beautiful. The mountains were picturesque and their stone faces were amazing.  That is saying a lot from a guy who usually only focuses in the trail and where my feet strike.

Gearing up for the 2014 season by heading to the Catskills for the 3rd annual Slide Mountain Loop. We tackled plenty of ice while climbing up cliffs, slid down sides of peaks and worked as a team negotiating technical sections. Today was a day to be engulfed by the beauty and strength of the Catskill Mountains.

Manitou’s Revenge is a 56 mile gnarly, grueling, nasty, sick mountain climbing ultra-beast in the Catskills of New York.  If it was a dog it would be an abused, starving, ill-tempered pit-bull.  There are roots and rocks everywhere on the course and it seems like they reach out of the ground and bite your ankles at every opportunity.

By MPF Athlete Harry Hamilton
What I am looking for in a good trail running shoe is one that I can run over 12 hours in, is comfortable, has enough support in the mid foot, and has some cushion in the heel.  I also prefer a wide toe box and protection on top of the toe box for when I inevitably stub a toe.  For those of you who have had the displeasure of seeing my feet after a 24 hour or 100 mile race you know that this is not a “nice to have.”   This is a necessity for me.