Race Reviews for Paine to Pain, 2023 – Paine To Pain Trail Half-Marathon

OK, this is the part where I collect all the nice things people say about the race and preserve them in one place before they vanish into the vast oceans of internet pixels that pour down on us each day, never to be found again unless we run for public office. (If you want results go here, and photos go here.)

One of the best parts about this are that comments come in from both deeply experienced front runners and rookies alike.

(Comments that came in via email were reproduced with permission.)

I ran my first Paine to Pain today, which was also my first half marathon. It was a lot of fun for me and a wonderful experience. The muddy trail added an extra element of excitement to the run, and encouraged more focus and connection with the trail itself.
I’d like to thank you, and everyone else involved for organizing an event that is no small task, and must require lots of people’s dedication and time.
It was impressive to see the organization and sense of community, before, during and after the race.

Thank you again and I look forward to my second P2P! — Robert Gorman via email

Really great volunteers. Well marked course and the road crossiings were secure, friendly and so positive. Thank you pixies and volunteers. Extra shout out to the Girl Scouts and their peanute butter cookie that got me thru! Fun beautiful race. Thank you! — giuli_bene via Instagram

First half marathon and it was a trail race! I finished the @painetopain in just seconds under 2 hours. Had so much fun and can’t wait to go again next year! — Avi Turkewitz, but he might be biased.

Thank you! My favorite day of the year never disappoints! And I thoroughly and successfully tested my age group award tankard during recovery. — Ed Dee, 13x finisher, 1st time age group award winner

First ½ marathon trail race. Thank you to @painetopain for organizing such a fun day. And to all the volunteers who came out in support and fed us – thank you! It was a gift to be part of such a memorable day. __ shmancy12345 – via Instagram

@painetopain thank you for putting on such a great race! — courtneykessler via Instagram

Better Every year. Not me. The Paine to Pain. It was probably the halfway point before I learned to stop worrying and love the mud. — Seth Goldman, via Facebook

I absolutely love running the Paine to Pain Trail Half Marathon whenever I can. Can’t thank race director Eric Turkewitz @painetopain and all the volunteers enough for putting together a fantastic race every year. — Wellfleets_finest, via Instagram

Everyone was so helpful and awesome. Best race ever!! — jo_dileo_lion, via Instagram

@painetopain always has the best barrel of 🐵🐵🐵 in the county. thanks again for another great event! — matthewknight via Instagram

Eric! Per your usual, superb job!!! Paine to pain turned Xterra. The jumping and navigating the muddy course was at a new level this year! The pink direction flags essential and awesome! Great volunteers- overall a super fun day! Many thanks my friend!! — Caroline, via email

While everyone else was running Chicago and Staten Island, I ran trails in New Rochelle. Beautiful little race, loved the course, mud, puddles and all. Sign up next year, you’ll love it! — Pauline212, via Instagram

This race has everything- musket fires for the start, a colonial fife and drum band, NewRo HS cheer team cheering the runners on, awesome volunteers everywhere, a super cool fun and funny race director who wears a tricorne hat and gives inspiring speeches and shoutouts at the start (that’s why wave 5 is the best- we got to hear them all), unofficial water from a nice dude right before a dusty rocky hill, Girl Scout cookies from very cheerful Girl Scouts at mile 11ish, a random kid in the woods on top of a huge boulder encouraging runners to keep going, massages at the finish (from the race director of the Turkey Trot), a live (non colonial) band at the finish, surprise stream crossings, friendly folks at the medical tent who cleaned out my war wound… oh and mud…. There was some mud.

I can’t express how much I love this race, its runners and its volunteers! (Super happy to also see the sweeper and her adorable pup who kept us going 2 years ago at this race).

Thanks so much to the volunteers, police and other runners for making this run so much fun! – -Elizabeth Bailey Geib via Facebook

[Reviews still coming in, and this will be update as they do if they say anything nice]

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