It’s all in the name: these races are not for the faint of heart. However, if you love sprawling mountain views, steep climbs up (and down!) back roads, and a morning spent running in the wilderness, the Froggy Five Mile and Hard as Hell Half are for you.
The Froggy Five Mile was established in 2008 as a capstone challenge as part of the Albany, NY-based ARE Event Productions’ annual Trail Running Camp, hosted each year for fitness enthusiasts in New York’s Capital Region and beyond.
The Hard as Hell Half, added to the lineup in 2020, is “among the hardest half marathons you ever run that is not on trail.” The terrain is composed predominantly of dirt roads, with some paved sections.
Featuring nearly 1,400 feet of elevation gain in the half (and 900 feet in the 5 mile), organizers warn that these races are best suited to those with previous Adirondack mountain running or hiking experiences.