Binghamton’s Pond Fest + Trail Race Festival Recap: Snow Glitter, Singletrack Shenanigans, and a Whole Lot of High-Fives

If you’ve never been to Chenango Valley State Park during Binghamton’s Pond Fest, here’s the vibe: imagine winter deciding to be charming for once, a festival basecamp buzzing with music and spectators, and a steady stream of runners trotting in and out of the woods like happy, slightly-feral woodland athletes. That was Pond Fest Trail Race Festival Day—and it absolutely delivered.

This year’s trail races took over the park on Saturday, January 17, 2026, right in the middle of Pond Fest weekend.

Results of Pond Fest Trail Festival

Basecamp Energy: Chipmunk Pavilion Was the Place to Be

Race HQ and the start/finish area centered around the Chipmunk Pavilion area, and it honestly felt like a winter carnival where trail shoes were the dress code. Between loops, runners rolled through the festival zone where Pond Fest was in full swing—hockey, vendors, spectators, and the kind of supportive cheering that makes you forget your toes are basically frozen mozzarella sticks.

And yes—Pond Fest is that festival with the mechanically refrigerated outdoor rink, built to handle whatever mood the weather shows up in.

Trail Conditions Report: “Mostly Awesome” With a Side of “Respect the Ice”

We had sunny winter trails that were mostly (slightly) snowy hardpack, plus a few “hello there” icy patches that kept everyone awake and honest.

Trail shoes were the move, and for anyone wondering “What about ice?” — we had Kahtoolah Exospikes and Nanospikes available (and if you’ve never used spikes, it’s like upgrading your feet to snow-tires).

Also: the course was marked like a dream—flags at turns and taped intersections so you could focus on running instead of playing “Is this a trail or a random squirrel highway?”

Choose Your Winter Adventure: 10K, 20K, or 50K (aka “One Loop, Two Loops, or Five Loops of Glory”)

This format is one of the best parts: a ~10K loop, so spectators can see you multiple times and you’ve got easy access to your gear between loops.

Here’s what race day looked like:

• 50K — start 7:00 AM (about five ~10K loops)

• 20K — start 9:00 AM (two ~10K loops)

• Kids Run — 12:30 PM (pure joy, chaotic fast feet, 10/10 wholesome)

• 10K — start 1:00 PM (one loop, big energy)

Course-wise: mostly single track, some dirt road, and a couple road crossings—classic “real trail running” without being a survival show.

A few key notes from the event setup:

• Self-supported out on the loop (bring your bottle/vest and what you personally need)

• Aid station + bag drop near start/finish for that sweet in-between-loop reset

• No pacers, crews welcome, just stay mindful and keep the finish area flowing

The Aid Station: Where Legends Are Fed

Between loops, the aid station was a glorious little oasis—water, electrolyte, and the kind of ultra-style fuel spread that makes you say, “I came for a trail run and accidentally joined a snack club.”

People were swapping “what worked for you?” tips, offering gels like Halloween candy, and generally acting like the nicest group of humans ever assembled in winter.

The Best Part: So Many Firsts (First Trail Run, First 10K, First “Wait… I Actually Love This”)

One of the coolest things all day: a huge number of participants were out there for their first trail run ever—and for some, even their first 10K. And the atmosphere did that magical thing where:

• experienced runners encouraged new runners,

• new runners inspired everyone else,

• and every finish felt like a mini victory parade.

It wasn’t just competitive—it was inclusive, supportive, and wildly positive in that “we’re all doing something hard together” way.

Shoutout to the People Who Made It Happen (Because This Doesn’t “Just Happen”)

Big, loud, cowbell-level appreciation for:

• the Confluence Running Events team

• the volunteers

• and the Chenango Valley State Park staff

From course marking to race HQ logistics to keeping things safe and organized while a full festival is happening nearby—this takes real effort, real teamwork, and real “let’s make this awesome” energy.

Winners + Results Links 

Want the official finish order, age group results, and all the glorious stats? Here are the official RunSignup result pages:

• 50K Results (Official): https://runsignup.com/Race/Results/41845#resultSetId-623108;perpage:100

• 20K Results (Official): https://runsignup.com/Race/Results/41845#resultSetId-623114;perpage:100

• 10K Results (Official): https://runsignup.com/Race/Results/41845#resultSetId-623115;perpage:100

🏆 50K Overall Winner

Matt Clare (Windsor, NY) took the overall win in 6:42:25, putting together a steady, smart day across five loops. His lap progression shows a strong finish—closing in 1:30:10 after earlier loops in the 1:11–1:28 range (that’s the kind of pacing that wins winter ultras).

Notable finishers (40k):

• Dennis Finnerty (Bound Brook, NJ) — 8:56:53

• Kevin Shivers (South Bound Brook, NJ) — 8:56:53

🏆 20K Overall Winner

William Thierfelder (Port Crane, NY) grabbed the overall win in 1:47:53—a fast day on winter trails.

Other top finishers (as provided):

• Logan Nagle (Clarks Summit, PA) — 2:21:00

• Donna Torto (Conklin, NY) — 2:50:54 

🏆 10K Overall Winner

Brian Boutilier took the overall 10K win in 1:04:43, leading the day from the front.

Top finishers:

• Jocelyn Torio (Hoboken, NJ) — 1:05:42

• Adrian Lafond (Hoboken, NJ) — 1:07:05

• Douglas Crane (Endwell, NY) — 1:08:03

• Josiah Rawlings (Ithaca, NY) — 1:09:51

Crowd Shoutout (Because This Was the Best Part)

Beyond the winners, the results list tells the real story of Pond Fest: a wide range of finish times, hometowns stretching across NY/NJ/PA, and a whole lot of people showing up for a winter trail adventure—many for their first trail run or first 10K. That’s exactly the kind of day we want at Chenango Valley State Park: competitive up front, wildly supportive everywhere else, and a finish line that feels like a community reunion.

Pond Fest Bonus Level: Fireworks + Festival All Day

After the finish line, the party kept going—because Pond Fest is designed to get people outside in winter and actually have fun doing it (wild concept, right?). The festival schedule included a fireworks show at 6:00 PM on January 17.

Also worth noting: Pond Fest mentions a suggested parking donation during the festival.

See You Next Year (And Bring a Friend Who “Doesn’t Like Winter”)

If this weekend proved anything, it’s that winter doesn’t win when you’ve got:

• good trails,

• a fun loop format,

• a dialed-in crew,

• and a community that cheers for every runner like they’re finishing Western States.

Happy Running,
Confluence Running Events Team

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