TACKLE THE TRAIL
Your Support
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.
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 College.
Learn more about the QVCC Foundation
Transform Lives. Improve Community.
- Bibs must be picked up at the Hale YMCA (9 Technology Park Drive, Putnam, CT). Bibs will NOT be available at the start lines. We urge runners to pick up bibs Friday afternoon to avoid lines (and stress) Saturday morning.
- October 17: Bib Pick up 3:30-5:30pm at the Hale YMCA.
- October 18: Bib Pick up 6:30-7am at the Hale YMCA.
- Â October 18: Bag Drop available 6:30-7:00am at the Hale YMCA: Bib must be presented to retrieve bags. One bag per individual or team. Runners must label their own bag prior to drop off.
- Marathon starts Rte. 203 Windham, CT and ends in Putnam, CT.
- Half Marathon starts at Brooklyn Rd, Pomfret, CT and ends in Putnam, CT.
- 10K starts at Pomfret Trail head, Railroad Street, Pomfret, CT and ends in Putnam, CT.
- Race festival at the Hale YMCA, 9 Technology Park Drive, Putnam, CT. Shower facilities available.
- Water, Gatorade, Bars, and Fruit available at all relay stations.
- 5 hours for Marathon.
- Runners need to be through Relay Station 5 (Route 169, Pomfret, CT) no later than 12:30 pm to complete the race.
- 3.5 hours for Half Marathon.
- We provide transportation from the finish line (Hale YMCA, 9 Technology Park Drive, Putnam, CT) to the 3 different start lines for marathoners, half marathoners, relay teams and 10K.
- We urge marathoners and 1st leg relay team members to take the bus to the start line. There is limited parking. There will be no spectator parking available at the marathon start line.*
- 7:00 AM: Buses depart for all marathoners and ONLY members of relay team who are running the first leg.
- 7:15 AM: Buses depart for half-marathoners
- 7:15 AM: Buses depart for 10K runners.Â
- Bibs must be picked up at the Hale YMCA (9 Technology Park Drive, Putnam, CT). Bibs will NOT be available at the Start Lines. Relay Team Captains will be responsible for pick up and distribution for all team members. We urge runners to pick up bibs Friday afternoon to avoid lines (and stress) Saturday morning.
- October 17: Bib Pick up 3:30-5:30pm at the Hale YMCA.
- October 18: Bib Pick up 6:30-7am at the Hale YMCA
- Â October 18: Bag Drop available 6:30-7:00am at the Hale YMCA: Bib must be presented to retrieve bags. Teams must consolidate gear into 1 bag if using bag drop. Runners must label their own bag prior to drop off.
- Relay race starts Rte. 203, Windham, CT
- Up to 5 person relay teams.
- Race festival at the Hale YMCA in Putnam, CT. Shower facilities available.
- Water, Gatorade, Bars, and Fruit available at all relay stations.
- 5 hours
- Runners need to be through Relay Station 5 (Route 169, Pomfret, CT) no later than 12pm to complete the race.
Relay team members who are running the 1st leg are urged to take transportation to the start line from the YMCA (9 Technology Park Drive, Putnam, CT). There is limited parking.
- Teams are responsible for their own transportation between relay stations.
- 7:00 am: Buses departÂ
- Teams must allow adequate time (driving, parking, walking to trail) to get to relay stations. Think of it this way: if 1 runner is running a 4-mile leg at a 6 minute per mile pace, it will take 24 minutes. Your teammate must drive (or ride!), park and walk to the transition area to meet you. If he/she shows up at the 20-minute mark, probability of getting to transition area in time is slim. We recommend knowing your teammates expected race pace as a guide. Each year, we are sad for teams whose runners just finished a quicker than normal race pace and their teammate had not arrived at the relay station. Better to be early than increase the risk of missing the hand-off.
- For more relay station information and leg distances, visit “The Course” and scroll to the “Marathon and Relay Teams Course” section.
- Water, Gatorade, Bars, and Fruit available at all relay stations and select aid stations.
- Refunds and deferrals are not available.
- Pets or strollers are not permitted during the race.
- Â The Hale YMCA will open at 6:00Â am on Race Day and runners can use the facility there. There will also be limited port–o-potties at the marathon and relay team start line, half marathon start line and 10K start line. This is a trail race, please plan accordingly.Â
- All finishers will receive an official race medal upon crossing the finish-line. Results are posted live. Awards will be given to the top Male, Female, and Non-Binary for each individual event. The top Male, Female, and Co-Ed teams will also win prizes. Awards will be mailed as soon as possible after the race.
- 8:00 am start time for all events:
- Marathon and Relay Teams
- Half Marathon
- 10K
- Race Festival at the Hale YMCA in Putnam.
- Marathoners and relay team members who are running the 1st leg are required to take transportation to the start line from the YMCA (9 Technology Park Drive, Putnam, CT).
- We provide transportation from the finish line (Hale YMCA, 9 Technology Park Drive, Putnam, CT) to the 3 different start lines for marathoners, half marathoners, 10K, and for relay team members who are running the first leg.
- 7:00 am: Buses depart for marathoners and ONLY members of relay teams who are running the first leg. PLEASE NOTE: Teams are responsible for their own transportation to relay stations.
- 7:15 am: Buses depart for half-marathoners.
- 7:20 am: Buses depart for 10K
- There will be NO Parking at the start line of the Race. There is extremely limited at all relay stations. Have fun, ride together!
All runners and fans are welcome to join us at our post-race party at the Hale YMCA! Runners enjoy free food  and free beer. Festival also includes; music, massage tent, photos, and much more!Â