Charlie Gadol: The (B)east Coast Trail Legend

Charlie Gadol: The (B)east Coast Trail Legend

From Sassquad Trail Runners by Sassquad Trail Runners

January 20, 2026 · 45 min

About this episode

Charlie Gadol discusses his diverse career in medicine and writing, and his contributions to the trail running community.

In this episode, we sit down with Charlie Gadol for a thoughtful conversation that spans medicine, writing, trails, race directing and the long arc of a life shaped by curiosity and service. Charlie is a pathologist, recently retired after working in the field since 1988. A 1979 graduate of Yale College and a 1984 graduate of UMDNJ New Jersey Medical School, his professional path also includes a degree in English from Rutgers and a master’s in writing and literature from Bennington, reflecting a lifelong engagement with both science and storytelling. An avid hiker and trail runner, Charlie has become a cornerstone of the Catskills trail running and preservation community. He created and served as the race director for two iconic Catskills events, the 54-mile Manitou’s Revenge Ultramarathon and the Cat’s Tail Trail Marathon, and also directed the Sterling Furnace Race and the Pocantico Hill Marathon & Half Marathon, both fundraisers supporting the New York New Jersey Trail Conference. He is the Catskill Long Path Trail Chair and serves on the Board of Run Wild, Inc., where he is co-chair of the Advancement Committee, chair of the Policy Council, and a member of the Nominating…

People in this episode

Guest: Charlie Gadol

Topics covered

  • trail running
  • endurance sports
  • community building
  • race directing
  • medicine
  • storytelling

Keywords

  • Charlie Gadol
  • trail running
  • Catskills
  • race director
  • endurance
  • medicine
  • storytelling

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Yale College, UMDNJ New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers, Bennington, New York New Jersey Trail Conference, Run Wild, Inc.

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