From England to the Challenge via Iceland

It’s safe to say that Dean Pearlman wins the award for “having come the farthest” to participate in the 2026 Rachel Carson Trail Challenge. Dean traveled from East Sussex, in the South of England for the June 20th event – roughly 3,750 miles.

Dean’s route to Pittsburgh was anything but direct. He first heard of the Challenge in the summer of 2025 in Iceland, but it all started in England when the 51-year-old took up long distance running. “In 2018, I'd had a rough time, had mental health issues, put on a bunch of weight, and decided ‘enough was enough.’ I signed myself up for therapy - and a marathon - finished therapy, but kept on running,” he explained, “The distances got longer and longer and I was looking for a bigger challenge. That's when I found an event that traversed across Iceland from North to South. With a mixed group of people from all over, we hiked and ran across Iceland.”

One of those people was Adam Causgrove from Pittsburgh - and that is how Dean found out about the Rachel. “We really hit it off. He's completed the Rachel on multiple occasions, and is a great fan of the route, and the event. We were talking about it in Iceland and I said that I'd love to do that one day with him,” Dean said. As fate would have it, participating in the Rachel may have happened sooner than Dean had anticipated. “It turned out that I ended up with a year off work and I was very much saying 'Yes!' to anything that came my way. So when Adam asked in early 2026 if I was up for coming over and doing the Rachel with him, I said ‘Yes!’"

Dean has completed several marathons and ultras and likes to stay in what he called “marathon ready” shape. “I’m usually okay to grind out a run/hike to 50 to 60km (30 to 40 miles). The elevation on the Rachel was intense - next time I'd definitely pump the stair master machine in the gym beforehand, because we don't have much elevation where I live,” he said.

Reflecting back on the event, Dean said, “I thought the Rachel was a wonderful route, through beautiful scenery and with a really welcoming and friendly crowd. The elevation over the distance, and the slight fear of the unknown meant I held back a little. Overall, I hiked more than I would have liked to - I would have liked to have ran more sections. But honestly, it doesn't really matter as I had a thoroughly pleasant time,” he said.

Dean also praised the volunteers. “The aid stations were amazing, fully stocked and organized really well, and again, the marshals, and the people helping in the aid stations were incredible. It's a real feel good event,” he said.

Dean’s friend, Adam Causgrove, who has completed the Rachel multiple times, was eager to share the experience with his now good friend. “We had a lot of time to chat while crossing Iceland on foot. Dean and I were tent buddies, so we had a lot of time to talk about life, the future, all the big things. And when we inevitably discussed finding a way to get together in the future, I shared info about my favorite event of the year - THE RCT Challenge!” he said, “I was able to visit him and some of the other UK folks in Cambridge last Fall, but getting to share such a meaningful event with him and Jason was really special.”

Adam referred to yet another friend whom he recruited for the Rachel, Jason Norman, who came in from Charlotte, NC to round out the threesome.

Why the Rachel? “There’s something really special about pushing your body to its limit to see what you can accomplish. And every year is a new experience - I am a year older, the weather is different, the direction changes, the people we encounter along the way... I know I've done five or six Rachels, but it has never really felt repetitive at all. We change a bit every year, the Rachel changes a bit every year, but the great vibes, the highs and lows, and the people sharing the space always come back - it's always more and more special. I feel fortunate to be a part of this community and am so grateful to all the people who make it happen,” Adam said.

Since Adam is getting married in Italy in mid-june of next year, the 2027 Rachel is probably off the table for the friends, but they both forsee one in the future. “I think it's going to be unavoidable to participate again. Adam loves this event, and we are very good friends now, I know he will ask me, and I know I will say ‘yes!’” Dean said.