Are you ready for the toughest road half marathon in Connecticut?!  The Mine Hill Half Marathon is one of the most beautiful, yet breathtaking (both visually and physically!) races you will run!  You will experience sweeping country views past farms, fields, and vistas.  With the start/finish at the Mine Hill Distillery in Roxbury, CT, it creates a great backdrop and an awesome after party!

The Mine Hill Gravel Challenge, a gravel bike race of the Mine Hill course is back again this year too!  Please see below for registration to each event.
$50 early registration through March 31
$60 April 1-May 14
​$70 May 15-Race Day
39 Mile:  $70/$50**
26 Mile:  $60/$45**
**Discount for 19U**
Refund Policy: There will be no refunds and/or no transfers of your registration or bib to any other person. Entry fees collected are used to develop and produce the event, starting well in advance of the race date--including course preparation, race supplies, permits, and administration.
Without volunteers, we couldn't pull off events like this.  If you are interested in helping runners achieve their goals and have some fun in the process, click on the link above.  Volunteers receive swag from our sponsors plus other goodies too!

Swag/Awards

  • Specially designed finisher medal from Ragged Cuts
  • Finisher Award for everyone​
  • Additional swag from our sponsors
  • ​​Additional awards for Top 3 podium for Overall Male/Female​

Location/Directions

The Mine Hill Distillery is located at 5 Mine Hill Rd., Roxbury, CT.  There will be limited parking at the distillery with additional parking offsite nearby.  Race headquarters will be located at near the start/finish by the old train station platform. 

Course Description

For starters, this is not an easy half marathon course.  It is a beautiful one though and if you can get through the first half of the course, it is virtually downhill the entire second half of the race.  The race starts at the distillery and quickly heads onto Route 67 for about 3/4 mile before turning left onto Sentry Hill Rd.  At around 1.5 miles, runners take a left onto the soft dirt of Judds Bridge Road.  Trending downhill for the next mile, you cross the iconic Judds Bridge and past a beautiful farm.  Turning right in another 1/4 mile, is Walker Brook Rd.  Don't let the flat landscape along the creek fool you...the hills are coming.  At 3.7 miles, the fun begins as you make your way onto Shinar Mountain Rd.  It starts off with a gentle grade, but then turns quickly up.  It's about a mile climb with just a small false flat in the middle.  Shinar Mountain turns into Lower Church Hill Rd at just over 5 miles and trends a little uphill before a steep downhill to the next left at West Church Hill Rd.  This is 1/2 mile hill with almost 250' of gain to reach the highest point on the course at the halfway point.  At the top, runners will stay left to continue on West Church Hill and begin the downhill trek back to the distillery.  After a jarring 1/2 mile downhill, runners turn left at 7.6 miles onto the gentle Walker Brook Rd., a gentle sloping dirt road with a babbling brook next to you almost the whole way.  Another mile and half down the road, the terrain will start to look familiar as it's time to retrace your steps back to the finish.  Crossing back over Judds Bridge, runners take a right and head up the rolling dirt road before the right onto Sentry Hill and the penultimate right onto Route 67.  It's a fast finish as you running downhill next to the Shepaug River before making the quick right onto Mine Hill Rd. and the finish at the distillery!

Course Maps

Race Day Schedule

Sunday, May 26, 2023
  • 7:00 a.m.  Packet Pickup/Race Day Registration begins
  • 8:00 a.m. Gravel Challenge Start
  • 8:30 a.m. Half Marathon Start
  • 11:00 a.m. Awards Ceremony
  • 12:30 p.m. Cutoff for Finish

Aid Stations

Will we have water and/or electrolyte drink at 3 aid stations along the course.  Keep in mind that Steep Endurance events are "cupless" races. Runners are required to carry their own hydration bottle, pack, or cup. This policy is put into effect in an effort to reduce the amount of waste and adopt a sustainable “green” practice for the race and the sport of trail running.

Runner Rules

These rules are meant to make your experience during any Steep Endurance event a positive one. Most of these are common sense type policies that you will see at any trail or ultra race.
  • Absolutely No Littering! Please respect that we are using their amazing and beautiful roads of both Roxbury and Washington for this race. Failure to do so could jeopardize future events.
  • Race entries/bib numbers are not transferrable--hence NO unofficial runners
  • Following the marked course is mandatory. Please do not cut the course, cut any switchbacks, etc. Any runner caught doing so will be disqualified. The course will be well marked with flags and other necessary course markings.
  • Though the course will be VERY well marked, runners are ultimately responsible for knowing the course and carrying course maps if necessary.
  • Please respect that most of the course is open to traffic. 
  • If you must use the bathroom, please try to do so very discreetly a good distance into the woods before returning to the race.
  • If at anytime you intend to drop out of the race, please do so at an aid station/checkpoint by notifying the aid station captain. Surrendering your bib to the aid station captain will serve as notice of withdrawal/DNF for the race. Failure to follow these policies means somebody has to come looking for you and in some cases, local authorities (at your cost).
  • The use of personal music devices is strongly discouraged at this race. To enjoy all that our race has to offer and for the safety of all participants, Steep Endurance encourages a headphone-free environment during the running of the race. We believe your race experience and those around you will be greatly enhanced by leaving the headphones at home or in the car. Running headphone-free allows opportunities to develop camaraderie with your fellow runners and to enjoy everything the race has to offer. Plus, volunteers and spectators will be on course cheering you on and providing directions to help get you to the finish line. Runner safety will be a top priority for our events.
  • SMILE and enjoy the race! 

Post Race Celebration

You’ve just finished a super challenging course!  Enjoy your accomplishment, sit back, relax, and don’t forget to cheer on all the runners coming in behind you! We will have the usual spread including bagels, fruit, muffins, pre-packaged snacks, and plenty of beverage options.  We may even have some live music for you!

Lodging/Things to Do

Roxbury is a very historic town in the Litchfield Hills of Northwest CT.  There are plenty of places to stay near Roxbury if you want to make a weekend out of it.  Click on this link for more information.  

Weather

Late May is a beautiful time of year in Connecticut with cool mornings.  Average high temperatures are usually in the mid 70's with low temperatures in the upper 50's. 

History of Mine Hill Distillery

Over 150 years ago, Mine Hill was a center of the Industrial Revolution in Connecticut. Silver, steel and granite and were carved from the hills; corn, grains and tobacco were grown in the river valley.  Some of this granite was even used in the building of the Brooklyn Bridge and Grand Central Station.  Just over 5 years ago, Elliot Davis fulfilled a lifelong dream and took over the Mine Hill area property, which had been in disrepair for many years.  He has since done extensive renovations and turned the property into it's current distillery business.  Keeping with the history of Mine Hill, he kept many of its amazing features in place to give the business an authentic look.  The property includes the 1872 train station, an 1860 cigar factory as well as a waterfall that once powered several mills on site.  They of course make their own vodka and gin right on site for you to enjoy!

PARTNERS

If you are interested in sponsorship opportunities, please contact Brian Vanderheiden, Race Director:  [email protected]