I am training for New York now and would like to do a 20 miler on carriage paths this weekend.

Anyone like to join me? Secondly, anyone have a recommended loop? I am thinking about running out to Lake Awosting then over to the Trapps and doing the overcliff undercliff, but I don't think that's enough and I'd like an exact mileage. Anyone have a good map of the trails.

Thanks for any help.

i like using the gmaps pedometer to figure out running distances -- unfortunately the google map doesn't show the carriage roads -- but you might be able to fudge it by using the satellite photo

Thanks - yeah I started with the USA Track and Field map which I think must be the same one. I don't think the resolution is good enough on the satellite maps to see the carriage roads. Thanks anyway.

plasticky paper stuff

is that some kinda enginery term?

There used to be a race that started at the Trapps bridge called Overcliff/Undercliff. Participants had a choice which way they were going to run, either left or right first. I think the distance was around 5 miles. It was great, not sure what happened to it.

The maps that Dillbag is talking about are the NY/NJ Trail Conference Maps. You can get them a bunch of places here in town, and probably even a couple of places by you. You will definitely need these maps to calculate a distance. If you try to do it off of some half-assed satellite map, you find yourself in the middle of nowhere on your 21st mile with no water, etc.

Another good thing to do would be to call the running store in New Paltz, Peak Performance. The people who run the store also coach the SUNY New Paltz Cross Country team, so they know all the trails and are pretty accomplished runners themselves. Of course, you could stop in there to buy the maps, and talk to them about a good route.

I'll also make one other suggestion if you're game: Someone I know from my high school days moved up here recently and has opened up a B&B which is dedicated to training long distance runners and tri-atheletes (I'm actually editing a piece about his place right now). If you're interested in some very top end coaching for the race, PM me, and I'll put you in touch. A friend of mine who's been running the NYC Marathon for the last 20+ years stayed with him this weekend, and he was pretty impressed. Afterwards, he told me, "For 20 years, I've been doing just about everything wrong".