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500days since
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The Muddy Marathon – 26.2 miles of NJ Trails

May 2, 2009

Note to 50-Staters: This is the hard way to earn your New Jersey marathon finish! If this is your first trail marathon, expect your slowest-ever finish time, ruined shoes and a higher likelihood of not finishing. Dedicated roadies who prefer flat marathons on pavement should check out the Jersey Shore Marathon at NJ Marathon.   The 2009 NJ Marathon will be Sunday, May 3rd.   All Marathon Maniacs welcome.

In response to various questions we are receiving from marathoners:

The nearest major airport is Newark (EWR).  You can rent a car or take a taxi to a local hotel (taxi may run about $70)

Accommodations:  Hotels are clustered near the Rt. 513 / I-80 interchange (9 miles away). 

  • Hampton Inn – Denville – Parsippany NJ
    • 350 Morris Avenue, Denville, NJ- (973) 664-1050
  • Best Western – Rockaway Hotel
    • 14 Green Pond Road, Rockaway NJ (973) 625-1200
If you are heading down to the NJ Marathon the next day I can recommend some hotels close to there or check here, Accommodations.


Getting to the race start:  The marathon will start promptly from the pavilion at the Craigmeur Recreation Complex, approximately 9 miles north of Interstate 80 on Rt. 513 (exit 37).  You will need to make your own arrangements for getting to the park on time.

 

What to expect:  Since this is a small event with a low registration fee, we are trying to keep things simple.  There is no packet pickup prior to race day, no gauntlet of vendors, no pre-race expo.  Claim your packet at the registration table on the morning of the race.  You can even register for the marathon on race day.  There is no "official" pre-race pasta banquet, but there are lots of good restaurants on Rockaway's Main St.  

This is a trail marathon, so you should expect more difficult terrain and a slower finish time than you would expect in a road marathon.  By trail-race standards, however, this is medium terrain.  The course is marked with spray chalk on the ground, survey flags through meadow areas, flour on trees, and arrow signs to clarify turns at trail junctions.  The loop course is 6.55 miles (approximately).