Dateline: Sept. 3, 2024

Preparations at Catamount Pond

Prior to Friday September 13th, you may notice an uptick inactivity at Catamount Pond on Deerfield Rd. in Bear Brook State Park. You may notice high powered light towers being dropped off in the parking lot and picnic area near the stone pavilion. It might be hard to miss the plethora of portable toilets being set in a row along the inner edge of the parking lot. You should certainly slow down when you see the Allenstown Fire Department equipment rolling in.

Support from the Allenstown Firefighters Association

The Allenstown FireFighters Association (AFFA) has been setting up a food stand at Catamount Pond for these races since 1997. AFFA members volunteer their time to be on duty all Friday night and into Saturday morning providing breakfast for the runners. This is one of the bigger fundraisers for the AFFA each year.

The AFFA starts moving equipment into place during the day on Friday and getting it ready. The runners do not start trickling in until 11 p.m. They are offered their choice of breakfast sandwiches, pancakes, bacon, sausage, fruit, water, coffee, soup, muffins, and juice. This is one of the only food stops along the race course. Most runners were very happy last year when they arrived at the pavilion.

A 55-Mile Relay Race

All those preparations by the AFFA support one of the oldest annual relay races in the nation, Reach the Beach. Hundreds of runners will join in the event which starts at the Lancaster, NH Fairgrounds at 10 a.m. on Friday Sept. 13, heads south through the White Mountains, then southward through small New Hampshire towns and villages. The course follows Route 4 east through Chichester, turns south on Route 28 at Epsom Circle, and then turns left onto Deerfield Rd in Allenstown.

They run not only to "reach the beach" but in support of several charitable causes.

Between late on Friday, all through the night into late Saturday morning hours, runners and their support vehicles will make their way from Route 28 and head east along Deerfield Rd. Runners waiting at Catamount Pond will take up the batons of their incoming teammates, who will then rest and partake of the food and drink prepared by the AFFA.

The race eventually ends at Hampton Beach State Park where runners can enjoy medals, music, food trucks, and a Big Pig BBQ. Or they can jump in the ocean to cool off.

What You Can Do

If you need to drive along Deerfield Rd. during this event, please drive slowly and carefully and be on the lookout for runners and their support vehicles, especially at the staging area at Catamount Pond.

If you want to experience the excitement of a major relay race, come to Catamount Pond Friday night or early Saturday morning.

Together we can help these dedicated race teams safely pass through our town.