Hi Everyone and welcome to beautiful Allamuchy Township and the Shades of Death Half Marathon!! 

Held Sunday, Oct. 13, this was the seventh year USA Track & Field – New Jersey has conducted this event. Or, I really should say these events because there are actually two races!!  First, we have the Shades of Death Half Marathon, the last  officially sanctioned half marathon before the New York City Marathon, AND there is the Devil’s Run 666 — a six-mile race.  Both races have proven very popular over the years and allows more runners to participate in this FLAT, FAST, and BEAUTIFUL course meandering through the Open Spaces and Farm Lands of Allamuchy. 

The day was even extra special, though, as USATF-NJ also selected this year’s Shades of Death Half Marathon to be its 2019 New Jersey’s Half Marathon Championship Race!!  I may be getting a little ahead of myself here, but, final finisher numbers are as follows: The Half Marathon had 348 finishers and the Devil’s Run had 178, for a grand total of 526 runners!!  WOW!! Our biggest race yet.  With so many runners, this year’s event had two official starts. First, the Shades Half Marathon got under way at 9 a.m. and the Devil’s Race began at 9:15 a.m.  Allamuchy Township’s Mayor, Rick Lomonaco was the official starter for both races.

Keep in mind both races cover the same course, with the half marathon going for a second loop. Both races began at Allamuchy Elementary School located on CR-612 or Allamuchy-Johnsonburg Road.  Leaving the parking lot, racers headed south on Alphano Road, turned right onto Long Bridge Road, turned left onto Gibbs Road, turned right onto the INFAMOUS Shades of Death Road, turning left on Long Bridge Road and then a final right onto CR-612, which returns to the school.  Devil’s Race was done with one loop and the Half Marathoners made another loop. 

The runners are treated to some beautiful views as this course meanders through farms and Open Space lands.  Also keep in mind the runners looked at a back drop of the mountain ridges of Allamuchy Mountain State Park and Jenny Jump State Forest!!  May I also mention, they crossed over the Pequest River and passed by the Allamuchy Freight Station, a National and State listed Historical Site famous for a visit by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.  President Roosevelt parked his Private Train, ‘The Ferdinand Magellan’ and went over to Rutherfurd Hall to visit his friend, recently widowed Lucy Mercer Rutherfurd.

The photo tour you will be taking in this Flickr album (link below), begins at the school and follows the race course, BUT, going in the opposite direction.  Much of your photo tour is movie clips showing the runners in action but also showcasing views the runners would experience.  Add to that a FLAT & FAST course along with cool temperatures, and we have ourselves a perfect day!!

One other point I would like you to keep in mind while enjoying your photo tour,  the many groups, organizations and individuals volunteering or working to make this race the Great Success it is!!  I have tried to photo all the volunteers and organizations, but you always miss someone!!  Did you know, much of the race course, is cleaned every year, shortly before the race, by multiple groups with funding by the NJ Clean Communities Grants! 

Please visit my Flickr site for more photos and videos

In closing, USATF-NJ & THE ALLAMUCHY COMMUNITY are PERFECT TOGETHER!!

Enjoy Your Open Space

Charlie Fineran

Director Open Space
Allamuchy Township Environmental Commission – Chairman
Allamuchy Historical Society –  President