The leaders of CBHM, Inc. and the Ottauquechee Athletic Club (OAC) announced today the creation of a 6.7 mile running race to be held on the carriage roads of Mount Tom on Saturday, May 12th, 2007 entitled the “Road to the Pogue.” “It’s an idea that has been kicked around for a long time,” said Charlie Kimbell, President of CBHM, Inc. and Co-Director of the Covered Bridges Half Marathon. “Mount Tom is simply the best place in the world to go for a run. When I heard that OAC was thinking about starting a race up there, I jumped right in.” “ OAC is interested in creating more races locally,” said Tod Minotti, who with his wife Jen Minotti started OAC two years ago. “Races invite more people to be active and introduce them to our wonderful natural resources. Mount Tom is just an incredible place. The time of year is good, too, as runners may use this race as a tune up for the Vermont City Marathon in Burlington or the Covered Bridges race.” Kimbell described The Road to the Pogue as a “challenging run.” The 6.7 mile course starts in back of the Mansion on the grounds of the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park, (in the horse shed field for locals who know the park) and winds its way up to the Pogue, a beautiful 14 acre pond, bordering a pasture and a planned forest. After circling the Pogue, the course will take runners to the South Peak of Mt. Tom, with scenic overlooks of the Village of Woodstock and the Ottauquechee River Valley. The final 1.8 miles are downhill, finishing at the start area. The Road to the Pogue received approval from the National Park Service in November. “The staff at the National Park is very helpful and supportive of the idea,” said Kimbell. “We conducted a site visit with Christina Marts, Resource Manager, and had some conversations about the impact of the race. They’ve been great.” “We are pleased to help with the race, and the organizers have done a good job”, said Rolf Diamant, Park Superintendent. “We have runners every day on Mt. Tom, it is nice to see people enjoy themselves and get some good exercise.” “Our community is very fortunate to have organizations that work together to develop events which showcase Woodstock’s heritage,” said Darlyne Franzen of the Billings Farm & Museum, “and we are always delighted to be involved. Since the National Park and Billings Farm figure prominently in this heritage, events like the Mt. Tom race which feature the old carriage trails to the Pogue, provide an unusual – and challenging – way to experience the forest.” “We have a great committee working on this event,” said Minotti. He listed the following individuals: Charlie Kimbell, Race Director; Kent McFarland, Chief of Course; Jen Minotti, Marketing and web-design; Brian McGinty, Volunteer Coordinator; Tom List, Logistics; Belinda Clarke, Graphic Design; Kirk Kardashian; Tod Minotti, Business Manager. “This is a totally volunteer effort, with any net proceeds benefiting the Woodstock Trails Partnership.” “Registration for the race will be done completely on-line,” said Kimbell. “We’ve found with the Covered Bridges race that it is effective and easy to manage. We hope to fill the 400 runner field by mid-January.” Runners are encouraged to visit the web-site of www.roadtothepogue.com to register. On-line registration opened Monday, December 18th, 9am. For more information, contact Charlie Kimbell by email at charlie.kimbell@verizon.net. CBHM, Inc. is the organizing body behind the highly successful Covered Bridges Half Marathon which is held the first Sunday in June. Started in 1992, the CBHM now sells out in the same day as on-line registration opens in December. This non-profit corporation donates it annual net profits (about $29,000) to worthy, local youth groups connected to athletics. For more information about CBHM, Inc., visit the web-site at www.cbhm.com. Ottauquechee Athletic Club (OAC) Founded in May, 2005, OAC provides organized weekly runs, rides and other athletic training events; lectures by qualified coaches and trainers; camaraderie and collaborative support for meeting athletic goals; group knowledge sharing; access to a members-only listserv to communicate with other athletes in the area; and fun, social events. OAC currently has 80+ members in the Upper Valley region of VT and NH. OAC is committed to community service, supporting many local causes through scholarship funds, donations, volunteerism, awareness, and event organization and promotion. For more information, visit the OAC web-site at www.oacweb.org. HOSTS: The race would not be possible without the support of the hosts of the race – the National Park Service, the Billings Farm & Museum and the Billings Park Commission of Woodstock.