Registration for 2023 is Now Open!!!!

And ……we’re off and running….!!!  Registration is now open!!   Race date is October 8th!!! [Register here]

And yet again the Early Bird discounted price is just $50!!!  Yes! Just! Fifty! Bucks!

Forget all that crap you heard about inflation! We laugh in its eyes! Bwaaa, hahahaaa!

But that Early Bird price is only good through the end of May.  So tell your friends and don’t screw this up!

What do you get for half a Benji?  The best 1/2 marathon this side of the Mississippi! Great shirts! Medals! Photos! Live music! Food! 200 incredible volunteers! Girl Scout cookies!  Post-race massage! Me! (Just not in the biblical sense; Mrs. Grand Poobah may not approve.)

And who else starts their race with a gunshot from a colonial musket? They made the British run, didn’t they?

Is NewRo Runners an awesome club, or what!?!

And bonus!  On October 8th, way back in 1919, there was the first ever round-trip, transcontinental air race, with 63 planes!  5,400 miles! The winner finished in three days and 21 hours. Running Paine to Pain should be a comparative cake walk! (P2P not liable for dropped cakes…must add to the disclaimer.)

Now with that complete non-sequitur dispensed with, we have five pieces of news!!!

1.         As with last year there is no longer a vaccination requirement due to the enormous success of the program. (Yay science!) (Policy here).

2.         Registration opens tomorrow!  For one of the great trail races in the whole galaxy! About 90% of this course is in the cool shade of the trees, just four short train stopsfrom midtown Manhattan!
Is the run any damn good?  In my completely unbiased opinion as Founder, Race Director and Grand Poobah for all 14 prior years, it’s an even better than Cannonball Run!  Yes, it’s that good!
Read the reviews from 2022! Or 2021!  Or 2019! Or 2018! Or 2017! Or 2016! Or 2015! Or 2014! Or 2013! Or 2012!

3.         Camping on site! In order to assist out-of-town runners, and a dearth of cheap hotel rooms, we are arranging overnight camping right at the staging area! Limit of 30 campers, at just $15/head with the money going to the Thomas Paine Cottage.   To participate, when registering, answer “yes” to the question, “Do you want to purchase an onsite camping permit for the night before the race?” To  learn more, see our camping rules.

4.         Activities for Kids! (First Year!):  Thanks to the generous sponsorship of NeverStopMoving365, we will for the first time have kids’ activities right by the finish line, on the field inside the track at New Rochelle High School. Kids can play with their families while they wait for finishers! There will be organized activities, too! (stay tuned…)

5.         Paine to Pain is part of the Trail Mix Series!! Read all about six great trail races at that link.

Can I get a Hallelujah?

And thank you once again to last year’s top sponsors:
▪   Westchester Road Runner
▪   Montefiore New Rochelle
▪   Empress EMS
▪   NewRo Runners

Eric Turkewitz
Founder, Race Director, Grand Poobah
(Mrs. Poobah threatened divorce over use of Race Overlord or Darth Turkey).
Paine to Pain Trail 1/2 Marathon
Westchester County, NY
PaineToPain.com
Daytime phone: 212-983-5900
Instagram: @PaineToPain
Facebook: Paine To Pain
(Notice a social media pattern?)

Real job (Where I put on my lawyer face):
The Turkewitz Law Firm
43 West 43rd Street, Suite 271
New York, NY  10036
212-983-5900

Stupid-Cheap Registration Opens for 2023!

Inflation you say? We stick a gooey running gel in thine eyes as we briefly open registration for 2023 at the same initial price as last year!

But first, the Paine to Pain 2022 race is in the books! The results are out!  The thousands of free photos are out! The Race Director’s prize awarded! Race Reviews are going in! And people are gently fondling their race medals and shirts!

And now  … registration has just opened for Paine to Pain 2023, with a tentative date of October 8th! Put it in your calendar now!

Woo hoooooo!!!!!

And we are doing it for the Stupid-Cheap®©™ price of $40! Yes, you read that right:

FORTY FRIGGEN DOLLARS!

Why sell entries for such a Stupid-Cheap®©™ price?

Two reasons:

    1. Those that register a full year in advance do so because they love the race, and that means they’ll tell their friends about it. [Hint. Hint.] We’re not shy about this: Word of mouth has always been our best marketing!! (OK, fine, it’s usually our only marketing. And it’s not like we have a press agent.)
    2. And we know that the best laid plans of mice and runners often skitter astray, and that many of you won’t be able to make it.Some will get hurt. Or injured. Or ill. Or pregnant. Or be told there’s a wedding for your third cousin twice removed that you’re not allowed to miss because your Great Uncle Sam (who you really don’t like but are too polite to say) might be there. Will you make it to the start line?  It’s like legalized gambling!

This comes with the same two big, hairy caveats we have each year, of course:

    1. It assumes we get our permits from the various municipalities for that date; and
    2. There is, as always, a no-refund, no-exchange policy.

That’s right: You get the race, the medal, the shirt, the music, the massages, the food, more food, yet more food, and world-class, can’t be beat, volunteers that would make former New Rochelle resident Norman Rockwell burst with pride.  And maybe even mile 11-ish Girl Scout cookies again! Norm would like that!

(Not-so-random thought: If Norman Rockwell and Thomas Paine put a race on, what would it look like? If you answered P2P you have uncovered my super-secret stategery!)

Registration is open for just three days! Did you get that?

Just. Three. Friggen. Days.

Register Here

The rush to register each year is like the Running  of the Brides at a bridal gown sale! (More dangerous than trail running!)

But if you blow this stupid-cheap early registration — and many of you will because you can’t help yourselves — we will re-open on April 22nd, Earth Day, at our usual early-bird rate of $50. Still cheap! But not stupid-cheap! Stupid-cheap is a big, hairy discount off regular cheap!

And we once again thank our wonderful sponsors and supporters from this past year’s ridiculously successful race:

Gold

Silver

Bronze

Supporting Sponsors

and in cooperation with

 

 

Eric Turkewitz
Race Director, NewRo Runners

Paine to Pain Trail 1/2 Marathon
Westchester County, NY
painetopain.com
Daytime phone: 212-983-5900

Eric @ PaineToPain.com
Twitter: @PaineToPain
Instagram: @PaineToPain
Facebook: Paine To Pain
(Notice a social media pattern?)

Real job:

The Turkewitz Law Firm
228 East 45th Street – 17th Floor
New York, NY  10017
212-983-5900

www.TurkewitzLaw.com
Eric @ TurkewitzLaw.com

Race Reviews for 2022

Photo by Rob Cummings

As always, I put up reviews of the race here so that they are saved for posterity instead of being lost in the endless system of tubes that, I am told, make up the internet. Or at least, I post them if they are good.

And as they come in, this page is amended, revised,  supplemented and otherwise improved. Comments that come in via email are, of course, only posted here with permission.

So without further ado:
———-

Thanks so much for putting on a terrific race yesterday; it was my first time participating and it was a TON of fun. I will definitely be back! (Nora Carroll, 3rd place overall women)
I ran Paine to Pain yesterday for the first time, and it was an absolute joy. All of the logistical stuff was great, from the clear and abundant pre-race information to the nice finish area. The course was fabulous; well-marked, a variety of terrain, and wonderful volunteers at the key turns.  It is a minor miracle that one can assemble a race that is over 90% trail so close to NYC.
And the wave starts are genius. I tend to start slow and get faster as a race goes, in the 8-9 minute/mile range, so have always run into issues with traffic in other trail races. Here, after the first mile or so, I was completely free to run my own race, and I got my trail-half PR out of it.  My friend, who is far faster, also had nothing but good things to say.  He loved ending on the track — that was very cool.
A huge thank you to you and the volunteer crew for putting this together, and I can’t wait to come back next year. (Kevin Schlottmann, via email)

@painetopain awesome race! Will be back next year! (Greg Barthelemy via Instagram)

Didn’t break any records, but this was my fifth time running and the trail never gets old. Congrats to all the runners and to Eric for another successful race.  (KC Choi via Facebook)

Incredibly grateful for @painetopain! It has become a tradition for @kissmycooly this being our 2nd year. It was a gorgeous day with phenomenal people.  We highly recommend registering! (Adrian Ochoa via Instagram)

I completed my 6th Paine to Pain Half marathon. My favorite trail run 🙂Thank you Eric Turkewitz and all the volunteers for creating a memorable running adventure:-) Thank you NewRo Runners for your motivation and Inspiring achievements!!! (Carl Reid via Facebook)

This was the best and hardest race! Thank you so much Matt Lewis for helping me get there from NJ and all of the organizers!
Great day and great people! (Michelle Pollitte via Facebook)

That was a different race but I did it; half marathon 17 in the books. The hardest half marathon course I ever did. I survived it and I didn’t fall so that a win, win. This is the race I needed to get back on track for @nycmarathon. (Bushwickrunner via Instagram)

Easily the best race I have EVER been part of (and I am not saying that because I literally crossed thru over my own backyard – my dogs barking and all –  which is a far cry from the Verrazzano Bridge).  From the ease of bib pickup to the fun finish I could not have had a better race experience.

The medal is unlike any in my collection; I love the uniqueness of it. And the race shirt, WOW, so comfy I plan to wear it dare it say doing something other than running.  (Tara R. via email)

I ran my first Paine to Pain this past weekend.  It was AMAZING (I’m sure you know that). I really think a lot of credit must be given to the girl scouts at mile 11ish.  Without them I would have thrown myself into the pond and called it a life.  They told me I could do it, and by golly I did. I would hate to know what would happen if I disappointed a Girl Scout!!!

Until next year…  (Allyson Fricke, vi email)
Yesterday was my third Paine to Pain, first since covid.   I want to thank you.  I love this race, probably my favorite.  It’s much more than just running or just a race, it’s also about the people and the great energy you bring into the event. (Sara Parrode via email)

What a perfect day for a trail race!

Every year I look forward to this event, and every year I look for the “stupid cheap” rate sign-up so I can get the best deal in town!!  Amazing trail, the best food, shirt and metals you can get for the price.

Thank you so much for all you do to make P2P an epic adventure.  Rain or shine, I make the trip from Brooklyn to New Rochelle to be a part of the action.  Special thanks to all the volunteers that make it all possible.

Already looking forward to next year. (Mark Wellman via email)

Race Director’s Report (And Prize!) – 2022

Matt Baffuto at mile 6 on his way to shattering the course record. Eamonn Sullivan, who took 3rd, behind him.

I figured I was hoarse and coughing this morning after the race due to all the yelling I did. Maybe I shivered at night afterward  because we didn’t turn the house heat on yet? Sadly, that is not the case. I think you know where this is going, and it has nothing to do with coming up positive on a pregnancy test.  Just the other kind. If you were in close contact with me over the weekend, particularly indoors, keep an eye out for symptoms. And I apologize in advance if I inadvertently made anyone ill.

Now on to the race (and then the Race Director’s Prize). We had clear skies and temps in the high 40s to low 50s. Perfect running weather. No mud; My rain dance didn’t work.

And by the looks on your faces at the finish line, and the comments you made about it being “perfect,” I sensed that you were grateful for the rain dance failure.

For those that missed the champs crossing the finish line — almost all of you — we had not one repeat winner, but two.  That’s never happened before.

On the men’s side, defending champion Matt Baffuto crushed the course with a time of 1:15:16 —  a 5:45 pace!!! This bested the prior record of 1:17:54 held by 2019 champ Patrick Dooley (and runner-up this year), lopping a full two and one-half minutes off the course record.  Noteworthy that in coming in 2nd, Dooley also bested his prior record. Wowsa!

Following in 3rd, and just 14 seconds off the prior course record pace, was 19-year-old newcomer Eamonn Sullivan, who won the Leatherman’s Loop this past April.

On the women’s side, 2019 champ Joelle Reeves returned to claim her second crown, being one of only three women to ever crack the 1:30 barrier — and she has now done it twice. Lindsey Felling was runner-up, this being her third time on the podium and newcomer Nora Carroll grabbed third.

Was there any bigger story than the extraordinary accomplishments of those who took the overall podium?

Yes, yes there were.  You may not realize this, but we seemed to turn out a record number of volunteers this year. I have been blessed with outstanding volunteers.  You know this because you saw them.

You want a little peak into the kinds of things we need help with to put on this race? Designing shirts and medals, distributing them, placing (and removing) 13 miles of flags, registration and wave assignments, start/finish line set-ups, food coordination and set-up, tents and tables, placement of about 200 volunteers on race day, a treasurer to pay the bills, sending emails (our marketing!), three aid stations with water and medical (thank you Orange Theory and Girl Scouts!), transporting baggage, personal runner announcements as you approach the finish, music, municipal permits, four police departments, parking and signage, communications and results.

And food. Oh yes, and the food.  We are grateful to those that donated food so that you have something more than what other races give you. In this case, we had:

AJ’s BurgersBeechmont TavernSmokehouse; The Fresh MarketAthletic Brewing; and Amrita.

Let’s be realistic. There is no way anyone can put on a race like this  at such stupid-cheap prices without community support. (OK, there are none like this, but if there were.)

The numbers just don’t work. And that includes not just food donations, but the EMTs from Empress EMS, the wonderful staff of Montefiore New Rochelle Hospital and the therapists from Finish Line Physical Therapy.

And it includes financial support from Rye Subaru, New York-Presbyterian Sports Performance Institute and newcomer to P2P, Century 21 – Marciano. (Looking for a home near the trails?) And, of course, for 14 years running, the premier running store in Westchester, Westchester Road Runner.

We also had communications, both online with a brand new and enthusiastic webmaster, Arun with a View Media, and on the trails with the ham radio operators from the Westchester Emergency Communications Association.

So yeah, a lot of people and sponsors  involved!

And now I have to pick one person from the staggering number of runners and volunteers to award the coveted Race Director’s Prize, given in my absolute and dictatorial discretion (<insert maniacal laughter>).

The award started when a runner turned a cartwheel coming down the home stretch, and has gone in the past to those who assisted injured runners, blocked cars trying to come onto the course, or simply inspired others.

Each of the last three races Lucille Renwick has acted as sweeper along with Scout. She encourages those in the back of the pack, keeps them going, and exemplifies everything about the spirit of the race. She is, based on the reports I get from others, the epitome of joyful enthusiasm while out there.

And so, by the powers vested in me, by me, because there’s no one to overrule a Grand Poobah, I award Lucille this prize (free entry into next year’s race.) Of course, since this is a different kind of volunteer — one who sacrifices her own race so that others can run —  she wasn’t paying to begin with. So if she elects to volunteer again next year in the same capacity, she may gift her free entry to any friend or relative she chooses.

Race date for next year is October 8th, once again falling on Columbus (Indigenous Peoples) Day weekend!!!!

And now, if you will excuse me, I will attempt to treat myself with chocolate chip cookies.  Because why not?

One last thing. Watch this lovely video of the race from Breen Brothers:

Paine to Pain 2022 from Breen Brothers on Vimeo.

One month to Go (And 7 Things to Know)

With Labor Day in the rearview mirror, we’re now just five weeks to Paine to Pain. It’s update time! Please. Read. To. The. End!

1.  There will be no in-person registration:  Online only!!  This worked really well last year as we avoided the chaos and congestion that our volunteers previously dealt with at bib pick-up. Keep It Simple works, so it’s now permanent.

Tell your procrastinating friends not to delay.  Register here.

And if you’re thinking Hakuna Matata, and you have no worries about this, we hope you enjoy spectating.

2.  Vaccination: Due to the high rates of vaccination (especially among runners), the substantial decrease in severe illness, and that the event is outdoors, we are suspending the vaccination requirement.  Let’s all hope that no funky new variants come down the pike.

3.  The Paine to Pain Preview is Sunday, September 25th at 8 am. Come join NewRo Runners for a course check. You don’t have to be signed up for the race to participate. There are no fees.  Do a short version or the full monty. The run is self-supported, and running guides will lead various pace groups. In order to accommodate shorter runs, the race will not start at the P2P start line. Details are here.

4.  Free photos! You read that right, we’ll once again have professional photographers on the course and then and we’ll give you those hi-res digital photos for nothin’. Nada. Zero. Zip. Zilch. More free!!! Woo hoo!!! We’ll try to catch you covered in mud if we’re lucky enough to get rain.

5.  We are again planning 5 waves. Why? We want you to run your best race, and not get stuck in traffic on single-track. While overall 1-2-3 is based on gun-time off the first musket shot, everything else is chip-time.  No need to crowd!

6.  Ultra Runners – Interested in running 26.2 on race day? If you’d like to do a “warm up lap” before the race, shoot us an email. (The warm-up lap is not a race, not timed, unsupported and will still be dark when you first set off. These are features, not bugs. The bugs are on the trail.)

7.  Volunteer Sign-up is well underway! As every runner knows, races don’t happen without volunteers. Period. If you aren’t running, we need you! (Online sign-up at this link)

Also, we welcome back Westchester Road Runner of White Plains, sponsoring this race for the 14th consecutive year! Bib pick-up will start there Friday before the race, from 5-8, and we’ll have some P2P merch for sale.

And if your injuries on race day are more hard core than muscle fatigue – and let’s hope that isn’t the case – Empress EMS will be out there on the course again at the three aid stations and Montefiore New Rochelle will be waiting for you with open arms at the finish line medical tent!

We’re lining up food and other sponsors as we type!! We’re excited!!  And when I say “we” I mean me!  But I hope it’s you too!

Race day is my favorite day! That’s why I use so many exclamation marks!!!

— OK,  my favorite day after my anniversary.  And wife and kids’ birthdays.  I’m required by law to say this. Hi honey! Did you get to the bottom of this long email I just sent to several thousand of my nearest and dearest?

Eric Turkewitz
Founder, Race Director, Grand Poobah
(Mrs. Poobah threatened divorce over use of Race Overlord or Darth Turkey.)
Paine to Pain Trail 1/2 Marathon
Westchester County, NY
PaineToPain.com

Real job (Where I put on my lawyer face):
The Turkewitz Law Firm
228 East 45th Street – Suite 1110
New York, NY  10017

Paine to Pain Preview – 2022

 

If you’re in John’s group, you get a free seminar on beer as you  run..

NewRo Runners, the group that organizes the Paine to Pain Trail Half Marathon, will host our annual Preview of the course on September 25th at 8:00 am. Please arrive 10-15 minutes early so that we can start promptly.

All runners are invited to join us , whether you’re signed up for the race or not, and whether you want to run the full monty or just a section (see below)

This is not a race, but simply a guided running tour of the P2P course, which NewRo Runners does  as one of our regular weekend group runs.

We usually get 50-75 people and we usually have about 10 trail leaders since there are no flags on the course.  If you know the course and can lead, please email me privately.

We will have multiple groups – which we coyly designate as fast, medium and slow, because tall, grande and venti didn’t seem right.  The groupings will generally (and very loosely) be:

  • Fastest – Training for 3:30 marathon or faster (or 1:40 ½-marathon)
  • Medium – Training for 3:30 – 4:15 marathon (or 1:40 – 2:10  ½-marathon)
  • Slower – Training for 4:15-5:00 hour marathon (All runners should be capable of running a 2:30 half marathon on the street – please, no walkers.)

Distancing between groups of runners will happen naturally as speedier runners take flight. Leaders will pause at major junctions so others in their groups can catch up.

There are no fees, no services, and you don’t have to be a member of NewRo Runners to join us. We do this once a year as one of our  weekly group runs,  and invite others to join us so we can show you our little runners’ playground.

Just send me an email, tweet (@PaineToPain), Instagram (@PaineToPain) or mention on our Facebook page, so that I have a sense of how big our crowd will be, and let me know which group you think you might run with. You can always change groups on the spot, or mid-run if you don’t like the teeny, tiny, tiger-striped shorts of the guy in front of you.

Important!!  We do not meet at the starting line for P2P! We start, instead, at the trailhead for the Leatherstocking Trail. This is at the corner of Pinebrook Boulevard and Hillside Crescent in New Rochelle. (See map) There is parking available on Hillside Crescent.

There is one water fountain along the way, inside the Saxon Woods Golf Club, which has bathrooms as well, and is at the 6.8-ish-mile mark.

Your options are:

  • 5.6 miles — Out and back on the Leatherstocking trail, which is marked.
  • 10 miles — Stay with the group until we head south down the Hutchinson River Trail (after passing the golf course) and then bail out on Pinebrook Boulevard at mile 8-ish.  This is the same street we started on, but two miles to the north. Then just run on Pinebrook (going left) back to the start. There are no turns to make after leaving the group.
  • 13+  —The full monty. As an extra bonus, instead of running the Broadview hill at the start of the race, you get to run it at the end when you are tired.

Please let me know if you will be able to join us.

Eric @ PaineToPain.com

2022 Mid-Summer Update: Sign Up or Pay Up!

Volunteer and Runner John Cannistraci cruises down the trail

Nothing says dog days of summer like temps in the 90s, eh?  But don’t worry, even if you can’t get up at 5 am to run, you’ve still got time to train! It will get cooler! Promise!

Race Day is October 9th — Columbus Day Sunday. (Or Indigenous Peoples’ Sunday, as preferred by an increasing number of folks. Also, John Lennon’s birthday.)

And off we go with five quick updates…

1.         Price Increase:

Can you believe this race is still so cheap?! Really, just $55 right now, but it goes up August 16th!  You opened this email after the 15th?  Tough noogies — serves you right for ignoring my missives. (Registration link) Sign up now to avoid the pain. Get it? I know, I’m good.

How does NewRo Runners put on a race this awesome at such a stupid price? First off, we don’t get paid. Not even me. Call it a labor of love, or a third child. Whatever you call it, this puppy is non-profit.  Net proceeds go into the trails or to local charities.

2.         It Doesn’t Happen Without Sponsors:

The second reason P2P is easy on your bank account? We have great sponsors that help defray the costs with money, services, safety and logistics. Last year Salomon and New York Presbyterian – Sports Performance Institute were major financial sponsors. And we again had the generous personnel support of Montefiore New Rochelle Hospital at the finish line and Empress EMS at our aid stations. Orange Theory of Mamaroneck commandeered the first water stop last year and will return this year to make sure you’re hydrated. And, for the 14th time, Westchester Road Runner will help with the logistics of pre-race bib distribution. And those are just a few that help make this race, at this ridiculous price, a reality.

And a third reason the price is so cheap? The vast majority of our “marketing” is simply word of mouth. A few lame social media messages is the rest.  We count on you to tell your friends and running club members. (Hint, hint.)

3.         Registration:

I never know from year to year exactly how many runners will show up, but we usually get 700+. This year we already have over 500 registered. Want to know why this info is so important?  We need to know by mid-August how many shirts and medals to order!  We don’t want to come up short and the Grand Poobah certainly doesn’t want a bunch of excess at P2P Global HQ. Mrs. Poobah would not be happy. Trust me on this.

And then there’s the food. Oh yeah. We aim to provide the best post-race food for any race in the country. (I have modest ambitions.)

So the earlier we know, the better for all.  Don’t delay registering. Don’t delay telling your friends.  And don’t get stuck paying a premium for registering late.

Lastly, there will be no in-person registrations. That’s gone the way of the dinosaur.

4.         Volunteers:

The shirts, medals, live music, free photos, exceptional food, and great trail are all terrific. But not only are sponsors critical, races don’t happen without volunteers. And our first-in-class volunteers have already started to sign up.  See that link? Yeah, that’s the place to go.

We need you!

5.         Vaccination:

Last year we had mandatory covid vaccination.  <insert exhausted me screaming at virus>  We still don’t know if we will require it this year. It is currently part of registration, because we can always loosen rules afterward but can’t tighten them once someone’s registered.

The answer will depend on local health guidance, which as we all know, changes frequently with each new wave and variant. We’ll make that call after Labor Day, after consulting the ghost of Tom Paine.

Final notes for those who’ve never run Paine to Pain and are toying with the idea: This is the most fun, best organized, and dollar-for-dollar finest foot race in the New York metro area. Ask any friend or frenemy who has run it! Feel free to read the comments of others if you think I might be a tad biased as I sit here typing in my Race Director’s colonial tricorn hat.

So on October 9th, let’s Come Together to celebrate John Lennon’s birthday in style. Imagine what a great day it will be. Don’t Let Me Down.

The link to register is here!

Eric Turkewitz
Founder, Race Director, Grand Poobah
(Mrs. Poobah threatened divorce over use of Race Overlord or Darth Turkey.)

Paine to Pain Trail 1/2 Marathon
Westchester County, NY
Eric @ Paine to Pain dot com

Real job (Where I put on my lawyer face):
The Turkewitz Law Firm
228 East 45th Street – Suite 1110
New York, NY  10017
212-983-5900
Eric @ TurkewitzLaw dot com

Thank You 2021 Volunteers!!

L to R: Three New Runners founders, Mark Medin, Steven Stein and David Brot.

Well, that was fun, right?  And exhausting.

And we ran out of volunteer shirts.  How did that happen?  Because come race day, volunteers poured out from the community. More than we’ve ever had.

Paine to Pain was a huge success because of you.  You.  You did it. Time and again the runners told me how wonderful our volunteers were. Helpful. Smiling. Making sure stuff happened.

I say this every year and I say it again:  This race doesn’t happen without volunteers.

You guys are it.

The race has lots of moving parts, no pun intended. But when things needed to get done, you just did them.  I only found out later.

I did my best to meet and greet so that runners would have a great time, and you guys did all the hard work while I once again stood up there and got the credit as if it were possible for one person to do it all. It isn’t, and I didn’t. We all did it together.

Anyone can come up with plans. But it’s the execution of those plans that takes work. And you executed.

Here’s my annual review of the various “jobs” that we had to take care of. While my recap of the race has the look and feel of the runner’s perspective, this is what “backstage” of Paine to Pain looks like:

Updating web site

Designing shirt

Distributing shirts

Designing medal

Distributing medals

Planting/removing signs

Online registration

Creating covid policy

Vaccination checks

Bike marshals for Broadview

Setting up start/finish line banners

Ordering tents, tables and chairs (start and finish)

Placing tents and tables

Shopping for start/finish line goods

Manning intersections

Organizing close to 200 volunteers

Data analysis to determine in August how many will show in October

Wave assignments

Bib distribution

Creating income statement

Writing checks / tracking invoices/payments

Finding restaurants to donate food

Getting that food to the finish

Ordering water/additional food/utensils/cups/plates for finish

Feeding people / staffing food stations

Manning three aid stations (and arranging water for them)

Medical coverage for three aid stations and finish line

Finding and coordinating sponsors

Firing muskets and establishing colonial theme

Music – start line and finish

Establishing massage stations

Securing and transporting baggage

Maintaining email list and sending out mass emails

Laying out, and then sweeping  ~500 flags

Supervising cheerleaders

Announcing arriving runners to the finish

Obtaining permits

Obtaining insurance for every municipality and sponsor

Coordinating four police departments

Coordinating parking

Race day communications via ham radio

Finalizing results and fixing scoring errors

Clean-up and pack-up at the end.

That’s a lot!  It’s pretty remarkable for an all-volunteer running club!

All of your effort shows. Year after year the glowing reviews come in that you guys nailed the execution of the race, and each year we exceed the stellar reviews of prior ones. I’m not sure how you top A+, but you managed. it. Again. It’s the volunteers that turn a mere footrace into a piece of performance art.

It. Doesn’t. Happen. Without. You.

There. I said it again.

–Eric

 

Free 2021 Race Photos!

As promised, this link takes you to the 2021 race  photos.

They are suitable for Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. There is a download link at the top of the screen for each picture.

In addition, if you really like a shot and want one to hang one on a real wall, as opposed to a digital one, you can buy hi-res shots.

And one new feature this year to help make searches easier (not all bibs are seen) is facial recognition to search for your pics.  This is purely optional, of course. Just follow the directions here to upload a selfie.

— Eric

 

2021 Race Reviews

Here I collect all the good things people say about the race and preserve them  before they vanish into the mountains of internet pixels that flood the intertubes, never to be found again unless we run for public office. They come from champions and mid-packers, rookies and veterans.

(If you want results, go here;  For the Race Director’s Recap, go here; For the 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.)
————-

Wish my time was a bit better but all gratitude to @PaineToPain and all the volunteers. Truly a race like no other and proud to have been a part of the biggest field yet.  @RHfree26  via Twitter

The toughest 13.1 miles I have ever run. And it was amazing. — lrb732 via Instagram

Another one in the books. @PaineToPain puts on a top notch event. With help from his amazing team and great volunteers.– Dan Tower, (P2P 10-Year Club)

Thank you for putting on such a great event yesterday. We are new to the area, but I run on the trails all the time so was thrilled to be able to take part in a race on the “home course”. Such a great atmosphere and I loved learning about the history of the race. Thank you for all of your efforts and leadership in connecting the area’s trail network!  — Terrance Li (6th place male, overall)

Thank you so much  the amazing race and extremely thorough course markings!  I knew a few of the other women in the race who have done much more trail racing than I have and they both thought it was one of the best-marked courses they’ve been part of. loved it, and will definitely plan to be back next year as long as I’m healthy. — Jeanne Mack, Women’s Champion

I’ve said it before, and it remains true, it just gets better each year. — Ed Dee (P2P 10-Year-Club)

Still don’t understand how I got a race, shirt, water bottle and massive lunch for $35 — David Mann

The course was great! The trails were great! The volunteers were super great! And the post race mal was yummy. — dashing_kumi, via Instagram

This is such a fun and well organized race, and the medal is always creative — he spins! Congratulations to the organizers of  #painetopain — madden_lisa, via Instagram

Nine-time Paine to Pain Half Marathon Trail Race finisher. I keep going back because I love it. It’s that simple. Eric Turkewitz does the most amazing job as race director and some how year after year pulls off a great race experience for all. In case you couldn’t tell I highly recommend it to all of my running friends. Hell, I’ve even recommended it to people that have stopped me on the street to admire one off my Paine to pain race Tee shirts.  — Michael Wolf, via Facebook

Eric, this was my first Paine to Pain. I run…but I’m not a runner. Does that make any sense? I heard about this race two years ago from my actual runner friends and I was finally able to get it done. I just wanted to say that I thought this was an awesome race from beginning to end and that includes all the information given on the website. It was all there. The volunteers were awesome as were all the first responders on the course. This really is a little hidden gem of a race that I will definitely do again and tell others about next year. Thanks again to you and your team for all your efforts.  — Carlos Orduz, in the comments on the recap.

Another great Paine to Pain trail half marathon in the books! The weather was near perfect and the course was fun, as usual. I even pulled off a negative split! Thanks to the race organizers (not just you, Eric, but that, too) for another great race.  — Murray Rosenblith, PPTC

Eric – my second race, and so looking forward to the next one. As the last photo on your recap shows, the finish line entertainment was overwhelming. Thanks again! Tim (#267 and yes, I did get a course PB, which I was checking for) — Tim Wynne (in the comments on the recap)

Paine to Pain Half Marathon Trail Race, the ultimate trail half marathon of the East, is a STELLAR race! Thank you to Eric Turkewitz, the ultimate RD, for putting together this course and carrying out your vision!! The energy on this course is amazing! Thank you to ALL the volunteers!! — Karen Murray, 3x 50-state marathoner

New Rochelle Girl Scouts had another great year at Water Station 3! Thank you Wayne for being our captain and to our Girl Scouts and Leaders Cindy Byrne Kristin Saglibene Macy Hussey Carobene! We were inspired by all the runners and grateful for their enthusiasm. Congratulations to everyone involved with P2P! —  Cindy Mahoney, P2P veteran and Girls Scout leader for water station #3.

I had an absolute blast.! It took a Herculean effort to get the race together. It’s a labor of love and I can’t thank you enough for all the hard work and dedication of you and your team putting on such an amazing event.  After all the tribulations of COVID-19 and the devastating effects it had on your neighborhood and the surrounding area the P2P was the light at the end of the tunnel.  Thanks again for all of your hard work and I can’t wait for next year. — Mark Wellman

Thank you for a fantastic event! What a fun race, and everyone involved had a great attitude.  As someone who grew up running around Leatherstocking Trail with my friends, this was a treat! Wish I hadn’t lost to my training partner, Phil Comerford, by 42 seconds but there is always next year 🙂 The medal, the shirt, and the race pics are keeping me happy. Going to sign up for next year at the stupid cheap price! — Benjamin Trachtenberg

 

As more comments come in, they will be added. If they are good.