I learned about the Orange County Choppers 5K and 10K races through an email from the company for their newsletter, and I was really was hesitant to sign up for it. Being a fan of American Chopper, I knew that they knew motorcycles…but running a race?

So I went for it. And I was completely blown away. The area is absolutely beautiful for a race, with the start and finish right at Orange County Choppers headquarters. Registration and packet pickup are a breeze, and there is plenty of easy parking right on OCC property. The swag for the races is top of the line – Hammer gels, t-shirts with the OCC logo (something that can run big bucks in the OCC gift shop), water bottles, and discounts at the new OCC Café.

But one of the best things about registering for this race was the price which is usually between $25 and $30, a great find!

I’ve run the OCC 10K three times now, and each time the course has been different so it’s hard to gauge exactly what type of run you’ll have. The first time I ran the race, it was an out and back and out and back with a fairly challenging incline to start the race, which conveniently became a speedy downhill for the end of the race. The next two courses each were much more difficult with significant hills challenging runners. These were by no means impossible, but still kept runners working.

The courses, no matter how they were laid out, were all beautiful. Running right alongside Stewart Airport provided some really great sights as you could see the aircraft all over the field. The surrounding neighborhoods in Newburgh were beautiful to run through and the people would even come out and cheer runners on.

Water support is a bit tough for this race, so it’s advisable if you have the ability to carry water that you bring some with you.

I was fortunate enough to place two of the times that I ran, and the medals I received were really cool OCC 5K/10K logos.

The 5K course is a very manageable out-and-back with the same challenging incline at the start, but a very fast downhill for the second half. My five-year-old son ran this as his first 5K ever, and ended up placing in his age group.

One of the best parts is after the races, the shop is usually open to tour through and see where they produce the bikes. You can then take in a great meal at the OCC Café. It makes for a really fun day for the family.

Races happen multiple times during the year, and each time the race goes to support a great local charity.

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