Kingston 5 Peaks

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I’ve had a number of people from out of town, and locally for that matter, asking me about the J&J Cycling Trails that will be used for the Kingston 5 Peaks Race. Few runners are familiar with these trails as they are private and for use by the J&J Mountain Bike Club only. May 16th will be the exception though as 5 Peaks racers are in for a real treat! The course has absolutely everything that you want in a trail race and is sure to challenge those who race. The following is a course description, photos and a short video.

Sport & Enduro Course: 0 km – 2km
Both the Sport Course (5.9km) and Enduro Course (10km) start and finish at the Big Green Barn. The start of the race is a crazy, fast downhill for the first couple of hundred meters on a combination of packed sand and grass. Once racers reach the bottom of the hill, they’ll take a hard 90 degree turn to the right for a short climb before veering to the left for a long gradually downhill on a wide grassy trail that narrows into the woods at just past the one km mark. This should spread the field of racers out nicely before hitting the narrower trails through the forest. Upon reaching the first wooded section runners will navigate over a rocky bridge before winding through to a dirt jeep road. Taking a left, all runners will run the jeep road for a couple of hundred meters before hitting the first aid station. Sport racers will turn left back into the forest trails at the aid station.

Enduro Only 2km – 6km:
Enduro racers will continue straight past the aid station for another 200meters before turning right onto the Escarpment Loop. A long gradual uphill then greets Enduro runners, followed by the trail leveling off and winding through the most technical section of the course with plenty of rocks, roots, mud and some rolling bits. Be sure to keep your eyes on the ground! Enduro racers will loop back around and come down off the Escarpment trail to the jeep road and the aid station at roughly the 6km mark.

Sport 2km – 5.9km & Enduro 6km – 10km:
Enduro racers will then follow the same trail into the forest that the Sport racers take for the final 4km of the race. Once back into the woods, runners will be running on some sweet singletrack trails featuring packed dirt, pine needle trails, mud, roots, logs and the occasional bridge. Please be careful when going over or around these bridges. Runners will leave the forest for the final time with less than a km to go in the race. The trails widen again and you can pick up your speed, just make sure you leave a little something in the tank as the final 400meters features a solid climb back up out of the meadow to the packed sand and the finish line.

The children’s race is an 800m route that includes two loops over a fun course that includes many small turns and moguls. It’s guaranteed to plant the seed for future 5 Peaks Sport and Enduro Runners! It is also a very spectator friendly course with many good photo opportunities.

Sport Course
Distance: 5.9km
Surface: Dual track, Single Track, Grass, Pine Needles, Sand, Dirt, Mud, Rock and Roots.
Degree of Difficulty: Easy to Moderate

Enduro Course
Distance: 10km
Surface: Dual track, Single Track, Grass, Pine Needles, Sand, Dirt, Mud, Rock and Roots.
Degree of Difficulty: Challenging. Much more technical than Sport Course.

For more information or online registration, please go to http://www.5peaks.com/

The Green Barn Race Venue...

Watch your step!...

Start/Finish area...
Fast start before single track...
Approaching the forest...

First taste of the woods...

Enduro racers start to climb up Escarpment trail...

And climb...
Some fun single track along the edge of Escarpment...
A little flat rock on Enduro...
A little mud for all...
Logs to jump...

More logs and pine needle trails...One final climb up to the finish...
Single track video on Forest Loop...