Luray Hawksbill Greenway - 5K Race

The "Band on the Run" 5K course wound along the Luray Hawksbill Greenway Trail through natural and painted scenery.  The Luray High School Music Department sponsored the race to raise funds so that more than 50 students in the symphonic band, concert choir, Marching Bulldogs, and the percussion and guitar ensembles could participate in a national music competition and festival in South Carolina. (Click on the photos and they'll enlarge and be easier to see).

Cows (above) pastured right smack in the middle of one loop.  The land to the left of the trail is a riparian buffer, built and planted in such a way as to treat the waste coming from the cows and improve the water in the stream outside of the view of the photo.  And the stream (below) rippled and danced alongside the whole race course. Oh and the best part? The mid-60 degree temperatures allowing me to run in a tee shirt and shorts, and an opportunity to traipse along the trail barefoot after the race.

VA/WV Line on Route 33

These photos were taken at the West Virginia/Virginia line from Route 33 yesterday.  Though ice covered the treetops, the road to Elkins, WV (where we met Butch's son for dinner) were clear.  We think this is called Pendleton Gap as it does go into Pendleton County, West Virginia; the name of this mountain though wasn't on our map.

At the highest point of the 2 1/2 hour drive to Elkins, we were above 3,000 feet.  Most of that time my cell phone was out of service.  On the return home I was glad to meet a few passing cars along the way; it brought comfort to know that even though the cell phone was useless, perhaps some passerbys might be available if a problem arose.  

16 degree run. . .

The weather outside was frightful, but not as bad as our New York runs since the wind was fairly calm -- breezy, but not unbearable.  Nonetheless both Butch and I donned ski masks and gloves before we crunched our way across ice frosted grass, and headed to the track for a 3-miler.  I've run twice now in temperatures in the mid-teens.  My pace was about 10:40, which isn't wonderful, but then pants and wind pants; a tee, long sleeved tee and jacket; plus trying to breathe through a ski mask does slow one down a bit.  I am just amazed that I have done this twice now with no major lung issues.  Good news indeed!

Jingle Bell Run

We signed in at the registration table at the State Arboretum of Virginia for their annual Jingle Bell run.  The Orland E. White Arboretum was established in 1927, and registration was in The Quarters building, where from 1825 till slavery was abolished on the property, was part of the Tuleyries plantation. 

After pinning bells to our shoes and a warm up run, we ran alongside dormant dogwood trees as we watched our breathe steam from our mouths and nostrils.  The race begin with temps in the low 40s, but got colder before the 5K finish.  

The first leg was on loose gravel and after a couple slides I thought I'd break my neck.  But then I remembered our Broadway runs through the pea gravel track along the park and thought, "I know how to do this.  Just run where the gravel is packed the hardest and be prepared to 'dance' when you slide.'"  After the gravel piece, there was a section on asphalt and then the race ended on hard packed gravel -- more dirt road than gravel.  So that was a bit easier, too.

I watched the markers as we ran past a variety of plantings -- my favorite evergreen is the Normandy spruce with swooping branches that brush the ground.  

This was race #51 for the year and I finished in 29:15, very slow for me.  But I didn't fall!

Thaddeus Charles -- the reason for the Avoca run

Grammie & Thaddeus (above) and Dad, Mom & Grammie with Thaddeus and Ebony (below).
We also got to have dinner with my virtual running buddy, Steve Bragg (below in blue shirt) and my friend Camelia.  This was at Sis's Diner, of which half is a renovated railroad car.  The service was better than I've gotten at restaurants costing twice as much, and there was plenty of food to take home because the servings were large.

The Caboose

Guests at The Caboose can stay in these train cars during the summer.  Each car holds 4-5 and contains train berths as well as a regular bed.  These also have the other necessary amenities a traveler needs.  This motel was at the low end price-wise, but at the high end when it came to hospitality and cleanliness.  The room even had a refrigerator and microwave, plus cable television.  Nestled in the valley between two mountains, the scenery was stunning -- even in the winter.

A brave, but not so rave run. . .

Revised 21Dec08 (after an attitude correction from my NY running buddy):

Runners World posts a "Rave Run" in each issue.  We found last weekend's run in sleet and cold (mid-teens) to be a bit rough, but we did it anyway and now can include a winter run in Avoca amongst our list of 2008 adventures.  Slipping feet in plastic bags before sliding them into our running shoes (above) kept our feet dry.  That's a trick I learned when growing up without boots as a child in Iowa.  Butch suggested taping the top kept the snow from sneaking in from the top.

It was in the mid-teens when we ran the mile from hotel to my daughter's place.  The temps were in the mid-teens and the wind at our back as we left.  Even so I took one step forward and half a one backwards on every icy hill.  So we didn't add on the extra half that, upon returning home, would have met our three mile goal for the day.  We were worn out!

On the way back the wind burned and the sleet needled our faces.  My ski mask protected me somewhat, and, as you can see in the above photo, Butch found a combination of running gear that kept all but his face safe from the stinging ice needles.

Photo below:  Returning to the hotel, named The Caboose because, in the summer, guests can stay in train cars instead of the typical motel room.