Today, I'll be recapping the second annual PCS Harvest Hustle 5k. This race is held at Pomfret Recreation Park. Because the race is on single-track running trails, there are three starting waves, two minutes apart.
Finisher's medal
Date: September 19, 2026Town: Pomfret, CT, USA
Distance: 5k (the course was over 0.1mi short)
Conditions: It was a brisk, sunny day for the 2026 event. It was 64°F (18°C) when the race started at 1pm, but I thought it felt much warmer in the sun.
Parking: This race was held at a harvest festival, so there was little parking for runners. I ended up parking in some grass on a steep slope, which made me nervous.
Check In: There was no line at check-in, even though I arrived a scant 25 minutes before the race start.
Course Description: The race took place on trails in the recreation area, including part of a disc golf course. The aid station, which was 0.6 miles from the starting line, was positioned at the intersection of multiple trails so that runners could stop there 3 times, once each mile. Notably, it was in a rocky clearing so the volunteers called out warnings to watch our step.
I managed to fall dramatically after tripping on a nice, vertical tree root about 100 feet after the aid station. Luckily, the ground was very soft and only my pride was hurt. I continued to jog and soon encountered a wooden bridge over what looked like a seasonal stream and then walked up a set of switchbacks to finish up the first mile.
Upon reaching the top of the hill, the trail went along the edge of a cornfield. The trail was not overgrown, but there were short stumps from cleared trees or shrubs sticking out just an inch or two from the ground. The steady downhill continued back into the woods and then across the wooden bridge up to the aid station. The second mile continued on winding paths in the woods, very well-marked with signs.
The only tricky spot was an intersection where the mile 2 course crossed the mile 3 course, which also crossed itself. A few people did tell me they accidentally shorted the course a quarter mile by taking a wrong turn.
The third mile included a foray out of the woods back up into the field where we first began, where we skirted the edge of the forested area and then dove back in for a few more trail passes. There were some narrow, adorable wooden bridges that I absolutely took at a walking pace, and wished I had brought my phone to take photos. The race concluded at the 2.98 mile mark, by my watch, with a dash back across the grassy starting field to the timing mats.
Course Map
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