Tarrywile Half Marathon

The Tarrywile Half Marathon is a November trail race held in Tarrywile Park, Danbury, Connecticut, featuring exclusively unpaved park trails. The event includes a 10K, half marathon, and marathon, all utilizing a consistent hard loop structure: one loop for the 10K, two for the half, and four for the marathon. This course is not a road race with some dirt; it consists of Northeast single track, rocky and rooty sections, and sufficient climbing to significantly slow runners compared to their typical road pace. The 10K involves approximately 1,500 feet of climbing, the half marathon around 3,000 feet, and the marathon reaches about 6,000 feet of elevation gain. Participants gain viewpoints over Danbury and the park's lakes, though these require navigating technical, hilly trails. Hikers and walkers are permitted in the 10K and half marathon provided they can finish within the seven-hour time limit. The event maintains a small scale with a 250-person limit. The half marathon also features a standing cash challenge: bonuses are awarded to the first man finishing under 1:45 and the first woman under 2:00, with the prize pool increasing annually until claimed.