Midnight Forest Madness Soon, then National Trail Day Hoopla in June
A 12-hour midnight relay race on scenic Port Jervis trails with food, music and more on April 20-21 will be held by the Outdoor Club of Port Jervis, then a trail celebration on June 2-3.
By Michael Ward
The Midnight Madness Relay on April 20-21 is a three-mile infinite loop on Port Jervis scenic watershed trails. The race starts at 6 p.m. sharp as the sun sets over Point Peter and gets better from there. Whether you are a single runner going solo throughout the night or a relay team of two, three or four, you will have the chance to enjoy food, drinks, movies and music while you rest. You can also bring a tent and sleep while you wait for your teammates to come in. The night is yours! Just remember, you’re here to run with the goal to get as many loops in as possible before 6 a.m. the next morning!
THE WHY…
All proceeds from this race will be split between two organizations.
First, The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is the why behind what we are doing. We are hoping to help raise awareness and money for suicide prevention while honoring the memory of Jim Faggione Jr.
More and more we are seeing people silently suffer through mental health issues. Issues that not only affect the individual, but their friends and family as well. Unable to help or cope with the problems that affect so many of us, the only answer they feel they have is suicide. Sadly, Jim Faggione Jr. was one of those people.
Jim was a 1989 Port Jervis High School graduate who went on to attend St. John’s University, eventually starting a career in the food service Industry. Jim served as the Port Jervis School District Food Service Director in the late 1990’s. He moved to North Carolina with his family in 2000 while continuing his career in food service.
Growing up, Jim was an athlete. He liked to run as well as play high school football, but he always struggled with his weight, a struggle that continued to affect him as an adult. In October of 2013, Jim made the life-changing decision to have weight loss surgery. After surgery, Jim became an avid runner. Some would even say he was addicted to it. He started with small races (5Ks) but eventually, Jim pushed himself to do bigger and more challenging races, logging hundreds of miles during his fitness journey.
He loved walking and running and was so happy to see the development of the Watershed Trails in his hometown of Port Jervis. Sadly, after a long, silent battle with mental health, Jim tragically, and unexpectedly, took his own life in September of 2022. Jim had often mentioned the idea of having an endurance race in the trails. We are honored to remember him by naming the Midnight Madness Endurance Relay after him, and to create awareness for mental health and suicide prevention by supporting the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
Second, funds will support the Outdoor Club of Port Jervis in maintaining the watershed trails that enhance the city and are part of the Midnight Madness course.
Thank you in advance for your support. We can’t wait to see you on the mountain!
National Trail Day Celebration June 1-2
National Trail Day on June 1 coincides with the tenth anniversary of the beginning of volunteer trail building in the Port Jervis watershed, resulting in 60 miles of trails, which continue to grow. Festivities will include a barbeque picnic and live band at Elks Brox Park. More information will be available closer to the date.
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