Trail running is an escape like no other. Leaving the noise and stress of city streets behind, runners trade the repetitive pounding of pavement for the fun and freedom of quiet dirt paths winding through the trees.
“It’s a little scary sometimes to let loose and go, but I like the thrill of it,” says Valeri Schwartz. “I love dancing down trails, hopping off rocks, and being truly immersed in nature.”
One recent trail race offered runners a chance to discover even more meaning in their sport. The annual Climb It for Climate at Belleayre Mountain in the Catskills is a friendly yet formidable challenge with stunning views all along the way. It’s also a zero-carbon event that uses proceeds to offset the impacts of participants’ travel to and from the race in addition to supporting the Change Climate Project.
“A friend told me about this race, and the mission is really great,” says Valeri. “I like that it’s so welcoming and inclusive and focused on supporting sustainability and the environment. Plus, I just love the Catskills.”
The Running Kind organizes the race, creating two options for runners and hikers looking for different mountain adventures. The 25K (16.2-mile) course climbs up Belleayre Mountain and dives into the Big Indian Wilderness behind it, offering a whopping 5,300 feet of elevation gain on challenging terrain. The shorter 8K (5-mile) course includes just under 1,400 feet of elevation gain, also climbing and traversing the summit of Belleayre Mountain before plunging back down to the Discovery Lodge.
For next year’s 2027 event, The Running Kind team is adding an additional history-making challenge – the first 100-mile trail race in the Catskills and one of the first carbon neutral 100 milers in the country. This course will traverse four different New York State Wilderness Areas, putting the area’s beauty on display for runners while also serving up extremely challenging terrain. This massive challenge will take place the same weekend as the 25K and 8K races of the Climb It for Climate event.
While Climb It for Climate is a unique and treasured event for many, it’s also part of a much larger movement. Trail running is among the fastest-growing outdoor sports in the world, and the hundreds of participants on this Sunday morning at Belleayre Mountain exemplified the diverse and growing community of runners eager to take on challenging mountain trails.
Some, like Michael Beidler from the Allentown, Pennsylvania area, are highly experienced. “I started trail running in college at Penn State, and there are a lot of great trails in the woods there. I’m 48 now, so I’ve been running trails for a solid 25 years.”
Many others, like Kwesi Peters from Kingston, New York, are quite new to the sport. “This is actually my first trail race. I used to sprint in college, but last year I started going longer and doing 5Ks and 10Ks and longer. I started running trails, too, and a friend of mine suggested this race for me.”
Regardless of experience level, most event participants cited both immersion in nature and the quality of the exercise as reasons for taking up the sport.
“It takes you away from all the noise and demands and stress of life,” says Michael. “Running in the woods is something surreal because it’s not just you versus yourself but also you against what nature lays out in front of you on the trail. In trail running I’m totally focused on where I am and where my feet are going, so I’m able to run longer and enjoy it longer.”
A longtime runner and cyclist who is now beginning his journey into trail running, Ben Forster of New York City agrees. “It’s always meditative, and that makes it a good way to stay in shape. I used to live in Las Vegas, where I did a lot of dirt biking. That’s how I got into nature, but it’s all such a blur when you’re dirt biking. When I came here and started trail running in this area, it was like, wow. I found a whole new way, a better way, to take it all in.”
Another longtime runner just getting into trail running, Jennifer Kozlowski of New Paltz, loves the challenging exercise in a natural environment. “I like that feeling you get when you’re exhausted. Running is one thing I have real discipline in, and I like that feeling of pushing my body to the limit. Out here you can push yourself and do things you didn’t think you could.”
The uneven surfaces of trails force runners’ core muscles, ankles, and all the small stabilizing muscles in their legs to work harder than they do on roads, providing a truly dynamic, full-body workout. At the same time, dirt, leaves, and pine needles absorb some of the impact, making trail running feel easier on the knees and lower back.
With all the natural obstacles on trails, the sport is naturally slower paced, too. Especially in the mountains, runners often slow to a hike on the steeper and more challenging sections. That’s common due to the difficulty of the terrain and because this is generally a community with an easygoing outlook on their sport, with people who care more about the experience than speed, split times, or personal records.
And that means that even though an event like Climb It for Climate is called a race, most participants are not there to win. They simply want to enjoy trail running with others.
“It’s a challenge,” says Kwesi, “but you don’t have to feel afraid to perform. Some do come to race, but everyone is super friendly, and the support from the organizers and runners is real. We’re all here for exercise and the amazing views and to just soak it all up and run for the sake of running.”
Indeed, the trail-running community is a close-knit and joyful one. Says Michael, “This is all about a community of people who enjoy getting outside and being fully immersed in nature. These events are great environments to be in, and they keep us plugged in with people who are striving to be healthy and environmentally friendly and just love life to its fullest.”
Anyone who has a thirst for being in nature, running, and camaraderie is encouraged to jump in and give it a go. The trails at Belleayre Mountain are free to run, as are of the trails at other Olympic Authority’s mountains – Gore, Mt Van Hoevenberg, and Whiteface – along with the thousands of miles of trails across the Adirondacks and Catskills.
Take your time getting to know the trails, and take your time ramping up your effort. As almost any trail runner will agree, you don’t have to run the entire time you’re out there. Hiking sections of a climb or descent is a natural part of the sport. So is stopping to take in the beauty or take photos.
Start easy, build your strength and endurance on trails, and enjoy the beauty of being out there. Then, come the summer of 2027, consider joining The Running Kind organizers and all the other runners out dancing on the trails together at Belleayre Mountain.