Big Year New Paltz is a year long journey
Feats of Endurance
Feats of Endurance
Feats of Endurance
We have created four events that are designed to test your endurance and push any athlete beyond their comfort zone. Participants must complete, at least two of these events. No exceptions.
Local Events
Feats of Endurance
Feats of Endurance
Beyond the Feats of Endurance, there are athletic events and pursuits available to us that make New Paltz the Endurance Capital of the East Coast. Whether that’s a race that allows you to take in the beauty of the Gunks on bike or on foot, a swim in a ‘Sky Lake,’ or a gymnastic rock climb or scramble on quartzite conglomerate, New Paltz o
Beyond the Feats of Endurance, there are athletic events and pursuits available to us that make New Paltz the Endurance Capital of the East Coast. Whether that’s a race that allows you to take in the beauty of the Gunks on bike or on foot, a swim in a ‘Sky Lake,’ or a gymnastic rock climb or scramble on quartzite conglomerate, New Paltz offers up a plethora of events to partake in that build your personal wellness.
Service
Feats of Endurance
Community
Strengthening Community - We embrace the concept that “only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.” Investing in our community is an essential element of Big Year New Patlz. A mandatory requirement for the Big Year involves performing a minimum of ten hours of community service. Participants can accomplish that any number of ways…v
Strengthening Community - We embrace the concept that “only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.” Investing in our community is an essential element of Big Year New Patlz. A mandatory requirement for the Big Year involves performing a minimum of ten hours of community service. Participants can accomplish that any number of ways…volunteering at Family of New Paltz, staffing an aid station at a local race, helping with trail maintenance in Millbrook Preserve…The opportunities to work on strengthening our community are endless. We hope that the ten hours of required community service will spark a participant’s desire to do even more!
Community
Feats of Endurance
Community
Small businesses and local attractions are the backbone of any small town or city in America. Big Year New Paltz invites participants to spend some time investing in the hard working families that make those small businesses run. In addition, our community is home to many public amenities that everyone should spend time checking out.
Our guiding principles
The guiding values and principles of the Big Year New Paltz are personal and community wellness, care and compassion for our neighbors, and respect for the land. We want to acknowledge the following concepts for those that are drawn to participate:
For the endurance events we want participants as they traverse the Shawangunks to be mindful of travelers on this land that predated many of us. We need to reflect on the fact that we are traveling on roads and trails that have felt the footsteps of humans for millennia. Respect for the land and those that came before us is a key aspect of the spirit we want all participants to bring to the Big Year.
That there exists a stark reality with endurance sports that is linked to having significant disposable income and time to not only train for endurance-based events, but to cover costs of registration, travel, and gear. The Feats of Endurance and Personal Wellness point system is weighted towards the four marquee endurance events which have relatively accessible entry points in terms of cost.
There are no cumulative time, age group, or individualized awards. We are not tracking accomplishments for the Big Year in that way. We do encourage people to post their accomplishments and tag #bigyearnewpaltz to spread the word about your efforts.
How Big year works and what do you get
Register
You must declare that you are doing Big Year New Paltz. There will be a potluck event at the Community Center in which you can declare your intentions...or let the organizers know your intentions no later than
March 15th.
Process
Start completing the events. Your endurance events must be proven by use of Strava, GPS, Garmin etc. Sorry that is just how it is. You will be given a notebook to record all of your activities. Please take pictures along the way for an end of year slide show. Eventually we will have stickers or stamps that local places or business can put in your Big Year book.
Hardware and Merch
If you complete the Big Year you will receive a belt buckle designed by local Ryan Cronin...a treasured local artist. You will also receive a tee shirt that says "New Paltz: The Enurance Capital of the East." If you fall short of completing the Big Year you will still receive the tee shirt but not the belt buckle. Participants must purchase their own items. We currently have no idea of the cost of the buckle. The tee shirt will be $20.