Hashawha Hills 50K

A winter 50K put on by the Virginia Happy Trails Running Club – Hashawha Hills starts at the Bear Branch Nature Center in Westminster, Maryland. It’s a 2 loop course that takes runners on a wild ride through frozen and muddy fields, hills, streams, fire roads, and horse trails surrounding the park. Great day playing on trail – and a most fabulous finishers mug made by a local potter.

butt slide hill

one of several ICY stream crossings

as the frozen mud began to thaw….

mud…lots of mud

pine needle trail

sweet finishers mug

 

Appalachian Trail in February = Winter Wonderland

A snowy run on the Appalachian Trail from 522 south towards Mt. Marshall.

View from the climb towards Hogwallow Flats

Pristine trails in a winter wonderland

Icy 8

The Icy 8 – an 8 hour race put on by Athletic Equation – was a fun day of 8 mile loops in icy temps at Lake Anna State Park. This was a particularly beautiful section of trail with a cushy bed of pine needles to run on.

Icy 8

Old Rag

Bouldering over Old Rag

 

Running down Old Rag – a perfect blue sky winter day

 

White Oak Canyon – Winter Waterfall

Lower Falls

Massanutten Mountains

A winter day on trail from Shawl Gap to Signal Knob and back down the Tuscarora Trail. Icy, snowy, rocky fun with lots of climbing and amazing views as a reward.

The climb from Shawl Gap

Fort Valley Overlook

 

Potomac Heritage Trail

A wonderful trail that runs along the Potomac River, starting at Roosevelt Island. The trail is fairly technical with some small bouldering places, rolling climbs (with a few steep ones thrown in) and beautiful views. A nice getaway very close to Washington, DC.

A few creek crossings to get your feet wet.

The overlook around 2? miles out.

Rocktown Trails – Harrisonburg, Virginia

I started running in 1983, and I thank my junior high and high school coach, Coach Bugg, for making me the runner I am today. Whenever I go home to visit my parents, I just have to get a run in on my old cross country course. Lucky for me, the local mountain bikers have extended my high school cc course into an amazing network of sweet single track – right in my parent’s neighborhood. Here are some sights from my own “turkey trot” – Thanksgiving day trail run.

Sweet single track

The rocks of Rocktown

 

 

Vicki’s Death March – Shenandoah National Park

While many people were out shopping with the mobs in malls, I was lucky enough to be on the top of the world with my running club. Black Friday was the 9th annual running of “Vicki’s Death March”, otherwise known as the  Shenandoah National Park’s “greatest hits” trail run. The run started in the Old Rag parking lot and went up White Oak Canyon to Hawksbill summit, following the AT to Skyland, Little Stony Man, Corbin Cabin, Nicholson Hollow and back to Old Rag. Lots of climbing, a fair amount of rocks, roots, leaf cover and even a little ice.  It was a gorgeous day, with a bright blue sky and warmish temperatures – a perfect day to play on trail.

Hawksbill Summit

Little Stony Man

White Oak Falls

White Oak Canyon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rosaryville 50K – Rosaryville State Park, Maryland

A fabulous fall day on trail!