Whether you’re looking to avoid the high peaks during mud season, want to add another medal to your trophy wall, or simply enjoy getting together with some friends for a good old fashion Type 2 fun, Peak2Brew is a must have on your New York adventures list. There are three locations for these events: the Fingerlakes, the Catskills, and the Adirondacks, but you can do all three to achieve your trifecta medal as well.
These events all start at a mountain and take you on a scenic journey to an after party at a brewery where you can toast to your accomplishments and mingle with other runners. All you need is a group of people as crazy as you are! If you don’t have a team or are looking to fill a spot, there is a designated area on the P2B website called the “Runners Tank,” where you can put your name on the board to show your interest or select someone who is already signed up and eager to join a team. Once you have your team selected, a designated captain can sign up for the team.
Putting a Team Together
Once the team is registered, the captain can utilize the Team Captain Checklist to guide them through the team management process. In my opinion, this is one of the most well thought-out and elaborate lists I’ve ever seen for an event, which makes it foolproof. Any question you may have is likely answered by this list or the website, but the administrative team through their social media outlets or email are also incredibly helpful. At this point, team members would now be able to access the Team Page to individually register themselves for some general contact information, tee shirt size, and to sign the waiver. From here on out, the team can train together or individually and even create funky uniforms to prepare for race day. The captain will need to submit an estimated pace time, create the lineup, and designate a transport vehicle and lodging arrangements with assistance from their co captain or the rest of the team.
Creating your runner lineup is made really simple with a very organized worksheet that gives leg distances as well as difficulty. The distances and difficulties vary, so you can organize your team accordingly based on your runners’ experience. In the ~60 mile Sprint relays, a 6 member team runs two legs where a 4 person team would run three. The FLX route breakdown is shown here, where you will also notice you can also locate other course map resources. All the races have the same layout so you can preview each location and see which one is right for you.
As you start looking around on the P2B website and social media outlets, you might find yourself stumbling across images or phrases referring to the Honey Badger. This is a bonus achievement for the insane runner on your team, as the 10 mile leg is notorious for challenging even the toughest runners. With 1200 feet of incline and 1120 feet of decline and no food or fuel support, this leg of the ADK race is more difficult and longer than most runners will complete across two legs at the FLX relays. Are you up for the challenge?
At first glance it can seem really overwhelming, but there are so many resources available and the other teams are really supportive in helping new runners and teams get into the hype. The post run brewery gathering is an excellent way to meet other runners and outdoor enthusiasts for expanding your adventure network as well. While some teams are competitive, there are also many teams out there just looking forward to crossing the finish line to have a beer with their friends. There are also fundraising teams that P2B hosts to support nonprofit organizations. Whether you have a nonprofit that you would like to fundraise for or want to join a fundraising team, P2B can help steer you in the right direction.
Peak 2 Brew relays are an excellent way to get outside and explore beautiful regions of New York compacted with a good challenge and the opportunity to meet your future hiking, biking, or next race buddy. And if you like craft beer, then you’re in for an epic experience. I’m going after the trifecta this year, so if you see me out there don’t be afraid to say hello and mention that you heard about it here. Hope to see you on the Honey Badger trail!
