Testing yourself for running the 26-mile marathon on these 25 and 50 kilometer runs
For those who want to test themselves beyond the marathon distance of 26 miles, 385 yards that marks the ultimate accomplishment for most runners, the Long Island Greenbelt Trail 50 Kilometer Run is the place to do it. The Run will be held on Saturday, May 12, starting and finishing at the Greater Long Island Running Club (GLIRC) headquarters on Dupont Street in Plainview, which is about a half mile from the Sunnyside Boulevard trailhead of the Greenbelt Trail.
But not everyone wants to do an ultra, and for the past six years the Club has expanded the scope of the run to include the new Long Island Greenbelt Trail 25 kilometer run as well.
The 25K will take you up from the GLIRC clubhouse on the northern portion of the scenic Greenbelt Trail to the Cold Spring Harbor Trail terminus and back. The 50K will be a double out-and-back over the same course. The 50K will start at 7:30 a.m. and the 25K will start at 8:30 a.m. Whichever distance you choose, there will be plenty of well-stocked aid stations to keep you going.
The 50K is the 2012 USATF – Long Island 50K Trail Championship Race.
Running an ultra is not for everyone, but a 50K is certainly well within the reach of everyone who has successfully completed a marathon. The 25 K is something that anyone who has successfully completed a half marathon is capable of doing. The fact that it is on the trails will make it an extra-interesting experience. Remember — you never know what you are capable of until you try that extra distance.
For more information or entry frorms, call the Running Club office at (516) 349-7646. To register online, go to glirc.org.
