The 2016 Reviews Are Coming In!

fdnyYou know what? It’s fun republishing reviews when your event goes off well. And did Paine to Pain 2016 go off well? Hell yeah! (And we got the free photos to prove it!)

Comments come from all places: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and (if I have permission) from email. If I find additional, I will add them. And the comments are open if you’d like to leave additional, favorable (cough, cough) comment below.

And my recap of the race, and the awarding of the Race Director’s Prize, can be found here.
—————-

Another challenging outing at #PaineToPain today. Amazing to see how this race has grown from a small handful of local trail runners into one of the premier races in the area. Thanks for a great one. (Zach Ikkanda, via Instagram)

Today was amazing! I was amused and impressed by the running juggler, blown away and inspired by the blind runner, encouraged by the lovely cheerleaders, and then rewarded with yummy food! Looking forward to next year. (Noreen Goodnough Hochman, via Facebook)

heather-metzThank you for another great P2P! I would like to thank the volunteers, the officers, medical, and the race director!! I always look forward to running this race! (Heather Metz, via Facebook).

Just a quick note to say thank you for a terrific run and event! Everything was well organized. Yesterday was my first trail race – I had a great time. I know these events take a tremendous amount of work – your efforts are apparent.
To Eric, the NewRo Runners and everyone else who put today together, thank you. There is no better race around. Just when you think the race can’t any better, Eric somehow finds a way to raise the bar on the food and to find a really rocking band. One of my favorite days of the year. God willing, I’ll be there again for 2017. (Jim Aiello, via Facebook)

Really cannot say enough good things about #PaineToPain half marathon. Good course,, fun volunteers. Would very much like to run it again next year. (Wolfsbane_arooo, via Instagram)

I’m looking forward to running P2P again in the future! (Kevin Gross, via email)

Had a great time and the high recommendations from my friends were certainly met. Looking forward to next year’s running. (Justin Wood, via email)

No mud but a most excellent time . Thanks to Eric and the NewRo volunteers. Always lots of competition. See you next year! (Paul  Greenberg, via Twitter)

Eric Turkewitz, P2P’s Race Director, does an awesome job organizing what is widely considered one of the best trail races in the eastern US. I plan my early fall racing calendar around it. (Tim Decker, via Facebook, who ran the Bronx 10-miler at 8 am, then taxied to New Rochelle to run P2P!)

smemories-28Let’s just start off with the fact that the food was fantastic!

Granted this place is only open one day a year, but the $30 (w/ early reservation) Prixe Fixe, all-you-can-eat spread is not to be missed.

I started w/ a few servings of an outstanding 2016 chocolate milk. Has a beverage ever hit the spot like that? Next on the menu was a few servings of mac-and-cheese and chili. With autumn just underway, these two faves certainly put the comfort in “comfort food”. Did I stop there? Nope. You can try and keep me from an Italian cold cut sub but it’s not gonna work. The sub was easily an A+ with my slice full of roasted peppers, salami, prosciutto, capicola, and provolone. Great Pheidippides, that was good.

But for some reason, I was still ravenous…so slid on over for half an everything bagel with cream cheese. And gotta leave room for dessert right? So to wrap up my brunch, I had a satisfying yogurt smoothie.

As always, the staff was friendly, helpful and fast (they all wear running shoes!). They take care of all the small details which made it a pleasure to come back for my seventh time.

Sounds great right? There’s one catch to this amazing, annually held brunch. You must run 13.1 miles to get it. But it’s well worth it.

A few tips. Get there early. Line starts to form on Broadview off North Ave in New Rochelle around 8:30AM at . Gratuities in the form of heart-felt thanks and gratitude to management and volunteers are a MUST.

See you in 2017.

(Dan Tower, via Facebook)

smemories-17
Steven Berger powers toward the finish line at the high school.

Awesome seeing so many amazing runners on a gorgeous fall day at the Premier Northeast Trail Half Marathon! Another successful year! Thank you Eric Turkewitz, all the NewRo Runners, Iona and Monroe College and other volunteers. NR cheerleaders and whomever else I missed! Awesome seeing so many other run clubs! Team RWB, Brooklyn Trail Runners, Prospect Park. (Karen Murray, 50-state marathoner, via Facebook)

Thanks to Eric and the team for making my first race in the US so memorable. Thanks also for the shout out at the start line. The organisation and support for this race is truly amazing and I hope one day to return to better my time.(Robert Hirst, Great Britain, via Facebook)

Fantastic day for a trail half marathon. Paine to Pain was a superbly run event; great trails; fun course, loved the track finish with my little Champ. Oh, and probably the best post-race food I’ve experienced at a race. (Rich White, via Instagram.

A big thanks to Founding Father Eric Turkewitz for organizing this event and allowing me to joggle it. I’d also like to thank all the good-humored volunteers for making this an amazing race experience. Congratulations to everyone who completed this event, it was a pleasure running with you. (Chris Pert, who, incredibly, juggled his way through P2P and describes how he did it.)

This race is super organized and well-run (Leibar @ Running Break)