Photos provided by Ian Golden, Breakneck Point Marathons.
The Breakneck Point Marathons, will be held on the rugged singletrack trails overlooking the Hudson Valley in Beacon, NY, on May 6, 2023, and will offer the final Team USA selection spots for the 2023 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships. The Breakneck Point Marathons consist of both half marathon and marathon distances, with the half marathon offering Golden Trail Series points, while the marathon awards Team USA selection spots.
The top two female and male participants in the marathon will receive automatic spots on Team USA to compete in the 42-Kilometer distance at the World Championships on June 6, 2023 in Innsbruck, Austria. Learn more how to qualify for the upcoming World Championships here as well as other National teams in trail and ultramarathon running at our USATF Mountain, Ultra, Trail tab here. The race also serves as the 2023 USATF Trail Marathon Championships and both overall and age group champions will be crowned from the participant pool of eligible USATF registrants.
The “Beast Coast” (aka east coast trail running scene) has some of the most technical trail running races in the country; the Breakneck Point Marathons is no exception. Since its inception in 2015, this event has attracted some of the toughest trail runners in the country and prepared them for running on any trail, no matter the steepness or terrain. As race director Tom Hooper of the Sunapee Scramble (read more about this race here) in New Hampshire says, “If you can run on the east coast, you can run anywhere.”
Photo provided by Ian Golden, Breakneck Point Marathons.
In the following article, I speak with Ian Golden, race director of the Breakneck Point Marathons, about what it means to be a selection race, how the course prepares athletes for international competition, what it’s like racing on the “Beast Coast” and some of the most exciting aspects of this year’s race.
[TAYTE POLLMANN] The Breakneck Point Marathons began in 2015 and served as a selection race for the 2022 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships. How did becoming a selection race change the experience of the event? What are you looking forward to about being a selection race for a second year in a row?
[IAN GOLDEN] Being a selection race in 2022 provided the additional incentive for a nationwide audience in both participation and exposure. I don’t know that the experience of the race itself necessarily changed. Breakneck was already drawing some of the fastest mountain runners in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, and it was fun to see some awesome and inspiring performances in 2022.
With so many beautiful, rugged, and well-done events on the calendar around the country, it is a challenge, particularly for sub-ultra races, to make the case for runners to travel to the east coast. It’s also tough, given so many opportunities, for events to recruit competitive elite fields that are more than a few runners deep. Being both a championship and selection race allows us to generate a deeper and national field battle among elites as opposed to primarily a regional one.
[TAYTE] The 2023 Breakpoint Marathons is also a part of the Golden Trail National Series (the half marathon, not the marathon distance). What has been the interest from participants so far in the selection race as opposed to earning Golden Trail points? Are you finding more focus on one or the other?
[IAN] This is the first year that there are more entrants registered for the marathon (325) than the half (275), with a deeper front end in the full marathon course. There was an epic duel between Max King and David Hedges that Remi Laroux captured on video last year. I think that made the rounds a bit and for sure extended the media reach of the marathon.
The team selection so far may be outweighing the pull for the half marathon, but both races have really deep front ends, probably the most competitive fields that I’m aware of that have been assembled on the East Coast of any distance. This includes us hosting the USATF Mountain Running Championships in 2022, as well as the competitive fields that have been assembled at Whiteface Mountain Race.
Photo provided by Ian Golden, Breakneck Point Marathons.
[TAYTE] Are there any notable course/race changes participants from previous years should be aware of?
[IAN] One modification that we’re making this year is revamping the courses and start times to have the two races align. The half will be both stand-alone as well as the opening half for the full marathon. We shifted from separate start times to a single mass start. We’re providing official half marathon finishes to those in the marathon as well. The reason is to allow top-tier runners the opportunity to go for both. If you have a marathoner fast enough to also go for the half marathon win, they may accrue a Golden Trail Series official finish and podium, as well as have the opportunity to keep going for the US Team Selection and US Championships finish. Given there are fast runners and a deep field in both distances, I can’t imagine the double podium would be a very likely outcome, but it’s for sure something runners will take into account for their race strategies.
[TAYTE] Let’s talk about the course. The course description states: “The risk, or death associated with this terrain is significant and only those seasoned and prepared for this terrain should join the entrant pool.” Not many races are this extreme. What was the inspiration beyond making such a challenging event? How do you think this kind of tough course prepares athletes racing at Golden Trail or World Championship events?
[IAN] Unfortunately, there is significant risk on the course at Breakneck Point. We’re not wanting or encouraging danger, but we do want to provide athletes with the opportunity to race over an extreme course. For me, the Breakneck Point ascent is a lot of fun, weaving in bouldering, rock slab climbs, and significant exposure. It’s not easy to find that in courses, or that terrain in many states may not be permitted to be used for races, particularly on the East Coast.
Breakneck Point, being in the NYC metro area, and a rail stop out of the city, makes it one of the most popular and traveled day-hikes in the nation. It challenges thousands of people most days of the week who are much less prepared or fit than any of our entrants. It’s for sure doable, but it requires an increased level of respect, awareness, and caution. Some of the more competitive international trail races around the world are run in areas with younger and sharper mountains with technical terrain and exposure. Breakneck Point offers entrants the opportunity to get a bit of that on North American soil.
[TAYTE] There are athletes known as more technical course specialists who don’t always get the spotlight in the mainstream trail racing scene. Have you noticed any of these technical specialists signing up for your race or underdogs who you think I should highlight in the article?
[IAN] I think that East Coast Trail runners, particularly those in mountain regions, need to be technical specialists. Not getting the spotlight in the mainstream trail racing scene unfortunately too often seems to be the case with this geographical population.
Photo provided by Ian Golden, Breakneck Point Marathons.
[TAYTE] The Sunapee Scramble in New Hampshire will be held a week before Breakneck Point Marathons and is also a Team USA selection race. How will this scheduling affect your race?
[IAN] Having the 2023 Mountain Running Championships hosted by Tom Hooper the weekend before in New Hampshire also helps in keeping some of that audience out east for back-to-back racing weekends. I honestly have no idea how the races will shake out. There are 2022 US Mountain and Trail Team members coming to our race, as well as many underdogs who I know to be excellent technical trail runners seated outside of the top twenty in their UltraSignup predicted finish time. It’s a deep field, especially for sub-ultra races. I’m excited that so many talented athletes will be traveling out east for Breakneck, Sunapee, or both.
[TAYTE] What are you looking forward to most about this year’s race?
[IAN] I will have fun seeing our final runners digging deep to get in under the cut-off time, and for sure also enjoy watching what will be a really incredible race happening up front.
[TAYTE] Is there anyone you’d like to give thanks to for helping to put on this event?
[IAN] A huge thanks to Mark Price and the City of Beacon, and Evan Thompson with the New York State Parks for being really welcoming partners. I’ve worked in multiple States, with local, State, and Federal land managers, and that’s not always the case to feel welcomed as a race director. I can’t thank both of them and their respective entities enough for being great to work with. A huge thanks as well to all with the New York New Jersey Trail Conference as this event is only possible because of their dedication in time and resources to creating and maintaining these trails alongside the Parks.
View the race entrant list on UltraSignup here:
https://ultrasignup.com/entrants_event.aspx?did=97125
