Not surprisingly, the races I planned to run this year were cancelled due to Covid-19. So I was pretty pumped when I heard that the Beast of the East half marathon was going to happen. It had been on my radar for a couple of years, so I signed up for it right away. Bibs were sent out to runners and the start was done in heats of 50 people socially distanced by cones with bib numbers on them spaced out six feet apart. I was grateful for some normalcy and the day was perfectly cool and dry for a race.

ROUTE

• The race started from the beach at Echo Lake
• Ran south on Echo Lake Trail to Bryce Path
• Turned left on Bryce Path to Bryce Link
• Turned right on Bryce Link to Cathedral Ledge Road
• Followed an unnamed trail along Cathedral Ledge Road to top of Cathedral Ledge
• Jumped on Bryce Path to White Horse Ledge Trail
• Turned right on White Horse Ledge Trail to White Horse Ledge and on to Red Ridge Link
• Turned right on Red Ridge Link to Red Ridge Trail
• Turned left on Red Ridge Trail to Moat Mountain Trail
• Art the top of the ridge, turned right on Moat Mountain Trail to North Moat Mountain summit and continued down to Red Ridge Trail
• Crossed the river to take Red Ridge Trail back to Red Ridge Link
• Turned left on Red Ridge Link back to White Horse Ledge Trail
• Continuing right on White Horse Ledge Trail to Bryce Path
• Turned right on Bryce Path and headed back toward Echo Lake Trail
• Continuing left along Echo Lake Trail to the beach at Echo Lake and the race’s finish

PHOTOS

STATS

Date: 20 September 2020
Distance: 13.1 miles
Pace: 16:30/mile
Elevation Gain: 4429′

Time: 03:35:13
Place: 81/130
M40-49: 20/31

Tracing White Mountains Trails:
Red Ridge Trail
Red Ridge Link
Bryce Link