To my mind, every year the trail racing season only really starts when Mort says "Go" at the Muddy Sneaker Trail Race. It is a classic race with a long history that ends up being a family reunion of sorts. It is a place where everyone shakes off the winter, breathes fresh air and enjoys the upstate NY scenery as they beat themselves up across 12 miles of hilly terrain. 

Earlier this year I had been approached to shoot the inaugural running of the Twisted Branch 100K - which I immediately jumped at the opportunity to do. What wasn't to love? Trails, check. Opportunity to showcase Upstate New York, check. Support friends who were running the race, check. In Spring, all of these things seemed amazing, but as the race drew closer and my ideas started to come into focus, the sheer logistics of trying to cover runners...

This weekend I was able to spend a few hours out shooting the Ontario Summit Trail Races, which seemed to be both a great challenge to all participants and a landscape showcase for the upstate New York trail system. Both of these things combined, in my opinion, to be a very successful inaugural event for the boys over at Goose Adventure Racing. 

This past Saturday marked the 16th running of the Muddy Sneaker Trail Race in Hi Tor Wildlife Management Area. Once again, the crew at Goose Adventure Racing didn't disappoint. Between the great Saucony and SmartWool sponsorship, the solid turn-out and, the perfect conditions, you couldn't ask for better -- and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to head down and shoot the event.

I love trail races. Always have, always will. The trick for me these days is which I love more: running them or shooting them. I don't know that answer yet. The benefit is that there is no downside, as far as I can tell - so, it is best to just take advantage of them when they occur. In any capacity. Today's race, the 2015 Winter Fest Trail Race, which is hosted on some of my favorite trails within the Upstate NY Region.