NipMuck Trail Marathon

The NipMuck Trail Marathon is a small trail marathon in Ashford, Connecticut, run on the northern section of the Nipmuck Trail. It covers 26.4 miles, all on unpaved single track, with Perry Hill Road serving as the start, halfway point, and finish. The race first ran in 1984 and keeps a tight field, with a participant limit of 180. It is a fall race for runners who are comfortable paying attention on real trail, not just following cones or course tape. The route is a double out-and-back: runners go south 6.2 miles to Route 44 and return to Perry Hill Road, then head north 7 miles to Boston Hollow before coming back to finish. The course is not specially marked for race day, so runners have to follow the Nipmuck Trail’s blue blazes, and the race advice is blunt: do not assume the person ahead knows the way. There are nine aid stations, though some offer only water, and runners can leave supplies at Perry Hill Road for the second half. The elevation runs from about 350 feet at the start to a high point of 810 feet, with cutoffs at Perry Hill Road, Boston Hollow, and the finish.