Toughest 10K Contrast between Jackson Covered Bridge 10K & Pottle Hill 10K

Ron and Peggy Foster
Rochester Runners Club
Rochester, NH

Ron Foster's responses:

1. Overall toughness: Pottle Hill: 10 - Covered Bridge: 9.9

Reasons: Pottle Hill has long, flat race to the finish. Given the scorching weather, it almost killed me. Covered Bridge has long, downhill race to the finish. Love to run downhill!

2. Scenery: Pottle Hill: 5 - Covered Bridge: 10

Reasons: Jackson, NH has the finest scenery in New England. As you run the crest of the race, you see the snow capped White Mountains in the distance; when you reach the steepest downhill part of the course, you run beside a bubbling river. Many times you will see fly fishermen trying their luck.
Also, as you run by the Eagle Mountain House, on your left you will see a wonderfully laid out golf course and in the winter, that same golf course is a cross country ski area. Now you start the last part of the downhill run. For me, I prefer down hill any day to flat.

3. Overall experience: Pottle Hill: 5 - Covered Bridge: 10

4. Compare and contrast the two (see above). As I do not want to paint a bad picture of Mechanic Falls, there just wasn't any comparison.

5. Which was harder on the legs? Pottle Hill: 10 - Covered Bridge: 8

6. Have you done either before?

Peg and I ran the Covered Bridge course in Feb, April and May and of course the race in June. I have raced it a total of 4 times. My last time was several years back. At that time, I was able to finish the course in 54 minutes. Have never run Pottle Hill before.

7. Would you run one or both again?

Absolutely, for both!

Peg Foster's responses:

1. Overall toughness: Jackson: 10 - Pottle Hill: 5 (because I only ran the 5K).

2. Scenery: Jackson: 10 (beautiful mountains and covered bridge) - Pottle Hill: 7 (nice country roads)

Overall experience: Jackson: 10 (more runners) - Pottle Hill: 7

3. Compare/contrast: Both were tough and held on very hot days. Better food and refreshments at Jackson. Jackson was hard on the legs going down from Eagle Mountain House for many.

4. Practiced Jackson but never ran the race before this year; never did Pottle Hill.

5. Yes, would do both again but would prefer cooler temperatures!