Running the Long Path: A 350-mile Journey of Discovery in New York's Hudson Valley

by Kenneth A. Posner

Finalist for the 2016 Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Award in the Sports category

Have you ever considered running 350 miles in nine days? Kenneth A. Posner did just that when he completed a record-setting run along New York's Long Path, a 350-mile hiking trail that stretches from New York City to Albany. Running the Long Path 's page-turning narrative combines the thrill and challenges of Posner's extreme endurance feat with the stunning natural beauty and deep historical significance of New York's Hudson Valley.

A one-time casual runner, Posner shares his excitement of developing into a trail-runner and eventually an ultrarunner, as well as the pursuit of a "fastest known time"—a new dimension of extreme trail running, where some of the sport's fastest and most experienced athletes vie to set new speed records for important trails. Hikers, walkers, and runners will appreciate his detailed descriptions of planning, pacing, gear selection, nutrition, hydration, and navigation, which will help them prepare for their own adventures on the trails.

Interspersed with the running adventure, Posner relates the interesting stories of the Long Path and the places it passes through, which include some of New York's most important parks and preserves and the distinctive mountains and forests they protect. Throughout the book, he channels the voices of famous New Yorkers associated with the Long Path—Walt Whitman, John Burroughs, Theodore Roosevelt, and Raymond Torrey—who express their appreciation of the natural beauty of the region.

Running the Long Path is the story of what ordinary people can accomplish with a little determination and a lot of grit. Whether you walk or run, you will find inspiration in Posner's tale.

200 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 1, 2016

Reviews

[Shawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

In “Running the Long Path: A 350-mile Journey of Discovery in New York’s Hudson Valley” Kenneth Posner shares about his effort to achieve the fastest known time (FKT) on the Long Path Trail. Setting an FKT on such a trail is no easy feat, as his account conveys. I’ve been in awe of the Appalachian Trail FKT's by Heather "Anish" Anderson, Scott Jurek, Karl Meltzer, and most recently Joe McConaughy. As a runner, it’s hard to wrap my head around the feat of covering ultra-marathon distances every day for days and weeks on end. And I’m extremely intrigued by all aspects of such an endeavor: the motivation and mindset, the planning and preparation, the challenges, and how one adapts to the challenges and endures all of the suffering along the way (physical pain, fatigue, sleep deprivation, hunger, doubt, loss of motivation, etc). Kenneth Posner’s account of his journey offers these things and more. As a seasoned ultra-marathon runner completing extreme 100 mile races such as Badwater, Posner offers sagacious knowledge to anyone considering a similar goal. His writing is engaging and offers all the interesting details around “thru-running” towards a FKT. What made this a wonderful read for me, was Posner's blend of history, philosophy, poetry, humor, and humanness. As the reader, I most appreciate gaining a sense of “experience” through the eyes of the author, which this book delivered. Living in the Catskills and being familiar with many of the landmarks (and writings of people like Burroughs) certainly made it all the more engaging, however I also was left wanting to see the places that were unfamiliar and unknown to me. I was fortunate to have Ken sign my copy of the book at the SRT run/hike he co-directs and have a greater appreciation the inscription of “keep following the path”.

[Rachel Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short book about an epic journey from NYC to Albany. I have read several books by ultra runners, this one is not a front runner for intrigue, but it was enjoyable being peppered with inspiring quotes about endurance running, life and grit.

[Marilyn MacGown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved reading about his progress. I'm currently biking the Long Path in Sections and could totally relate to the sights and locations he describes. Planning on hiking section 30 this weekend and possibly 31.

[Yehuda Isseroff · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've lived in Bergen County the last 11 years and have vacationed in the Catskills for even longer. I only discovered the Long Path a month ago while hiking in the Palisades ("wait, where does the Long Path even go to... whoah"). This book does an excellent job at describing the history of not just the Long Path, but many of the towns, personalities, and events along the way. It gave an accurate picture of what hiking/running the Long Path is like. Great book!