Registration for the 2024 Tackle the Trail is open. The best prices of the year for all races – 10K, half-marathon, marathon, and relay teams – are available until January 30th. Prices will increase on January 31st.
Tackle the Trail has raised over $500,000 over the past decade. Created by The QVCC Foundation, the race not only supports current and future students but has become a destination for local, national, and international runners.
More about The QVCC Foundation
In 2023, The Foundation provided over $300,000 to the college in the form of workforce development grants, financial aid grants, advanced manufacturing grants, and scholarships.
The race winds through communities starting in Willimantic, CT, and finishing in Putnam, CT. It is intertwined in the fabric of fall events in the “Quiet Corner” of Connecticut, boasting more than 100 volunteers and partnerships with local businesses.
Proceeds from this race support students pursuing their educational dreams at CT State Community College -Quinebaug Valley Community Colleg
If you were unable to attend one of the live Webex meetings with race details, the recordings are below. Please listen and get your questions answered.
Course Changes Due to Unprecedented Rain Update 10/2/23
Mother Nature has thrown us a curve ball with unprecedented rain this summer and early fall. This has affected the start location for the Marathon and Relay Teams race. Both the Marathon and Relay team race will now start the race at Estabrook Road, Hampton, CT. There is very limited parking at the Estabrook location.
Relay leg 1 runners and marathoners are highly encouraged to take transportation from the finish location at the HaleYMCA, 9 Technology Park Drive, Putnam, CT to the Estabrook Starting Line.
Course Changes
Since the former first leg of the race/relay race (the distance to the relay station one) was the longest distance, there have been modifications for the course to accommodate. The technical portion of the course through Goodwin Forrest will be run by both marathoners (two loops) and relay team legs one AND two.
Hand-off for the third leg of the relay team race will be at the Goodwin Forrest loop and proceed to Brooklyn Rd, Pomfret.
The fourth leg of the relay race and the marathon will now includean additional loop through the Windham Land Trust. This additional distance includes a short technical uphill to a field run before descending back to the Airline Trail.
In recognition of ten years of Tackle the Trail™, the race will now offer a 10K run option, in addition to the marathon, ½ marathon, relay, and TackleJR (a half-mile run open to children ages 2 – 12 years old in partnership with Northeast Opportunities for Wellness) distances. This will allow more runners to experience the point-to-point trail race from Windham, CT to Putnam, CT on Saturday, October 21, 2023.
Monique Wolanin, QVCC Director of Institutional Advancement and Tackle the Trail™ race director stated, “We are proud to celebrate this milestone year and excited about our future growth too. Since 2014, we have raised $500,000 for local students at Quinebaug Valley Community College. The race has welcomed runners from 25 states and 3 countries to Northeast Connecticut. Wolanin added, “Tackle the Trail’s success is truly a team effort. It would not be possible without the support of 150 volunteers, sponsors, partners, and runners. Year after year their commitment of time, energy, and resources to our Unique Race in an Amazing Place is overwhelming. The 10K run, in honor of our 10th birthday, rounds out a stellar lineup of options for 2023. This will be our biggest and best Tackle yet!”
Runners are encouraged to REGISTER now. The race will sell out.
