NYC May Mappy Hour

See more Mappy Hour photos here.

NYC May Mappy Hour by The North Face was all about trail running! And what better way to kick off this Mappy Hour than with a run? Runners met in Columbus Circle before embarking on a 4 mile run around Central Park!

Then, attendees were treated to two amazing speakers: trail running enthusiast Sue Jordan and ultra-marathoner Bill Sycalik.

Sue gave trail-running newbies and veterans alike some great tips for when they are looking to take the trails! She advised newer runners to start slowly at first because our bodies need time to adjust to new surfaces.  Once your body has adjusted, it’s time to challenge yourself and to add in more hills!  She also suggested that if you plan on participating in a trail race, it’s important to train on the trails.

Sue reminded all runners that hydration on the run is very important and that they should carry fluids with them.  Water fountains are available everywhere in Central Park, but that is not the case on the average trail. It’s important to be prepared.

She also emphasized the benefits of finding a trail running community in your local area. Brooklyn Trail Runners, Trail Whipasses and November Project are all groups that Sue spoke about that are full of experienced trail runners that trail running newbies could learn a lot from.

Interested in trail running? Then join OutdoorFest 2016 for a 5K night trail running event! Runners of all experiences welcome. Get your ticket now!

Bill Sycalik, a certified running coach and ultra-marathoner, spoke about his project The National Parks Marathon Project which he formed as an experiential way to bring people together around running and the 100th year anniversary of the National Park Service.

Throughout 2016, Bill will be running a self-directed, self-managed and self-measured marathon in all 59 U.S. National Parks as a way to celebrate the beauty of the national parks. And he doesn’t want to do it alone! One of his goals is to have someone from every local running community to accompany him in some part of the marathon. See Bill’s schedule now at: runningtheparks.com.