The Rock/Creek Trail Race Series kicks off River Rocks this year with the Stump Jump 50K and 11 mile races on October 1st. This is the 10th year for the Stump Jump, one of the more popular races in the series. All of the race positions are currently filled but that does not mean there are not opportunities to be a part of Stump Jump. There is a vendor fair on Friday, September 30 and the North Face Speaker Series will present ultrarunner Diane van Deren as the guest speaker. Proceeds from these events benefit Wild Trails.
Trail running is a popular sport for men and women of any age. Running is great for your fitness routine and running along nature trails adds quite a bit to the experience. In addition to the variety of terrain and challenge of obstacles, trail running offers spectacular views to accompany your run. The trails around Chattanooga offer many great opportunities to expand your running horizons. Wild Trails offers information on local trails suitable for runners of all experience levels.
For those runners who appreciate a good marathon the Rock Creek Trail Race Series offers many chances to test your endurance against your peers. The races in this series attract national and international trail runners. With several levels of terrain to access, the Rock Creek Trail Race Series offers something for every runner as the race season progresses.
The social side of trail running attracts many runners. People in the Chattanooga area often get together for trail running with several regular runs scheduled. There are ladies only trail runs, Discovery Runs designed to visit a variety of trails, race training runs and gatherings with a focus on the beginning runner. Most of these trail runs are scheduled through meetup.com under Chattanooga Trail Runners.
The Rock/Creek Trail Series continues this weekend with the Greenway 5 Mile Trail Race. This race is geared toward the beginner trail runner but still presents enough of a challenge to keep the more experienced runners engaged. Race participants will gather at Greenway Farms for the 9:00 am race. You can register on race day beginning at 7:30 am. Proceeds from the Greenway 5 Mile Trail Race benefit Wild Trails, a nonprofit organization that promotes recreational trails in the Chattanooga area.
The sport of trail running is attracting an enthusiastic following and people of all abilities are taking to the trails. One group in Chattanooga is hoping to encourage more women to begin trail running by offering a Ladies Only Trail Running experience. Part of the focus of this group is to provide training opportunities for women interested in running in the Rock Creek Trail Race Series. These races are growing in popularity and more often than not, you need to register for the races well in advance. Training for these marathons is important and the advantages for a Ladies Only Running Group will help beginner and experienced runners alike. The women organizing this group are volunteers for Wild Trails. Information on the Ladies Only running sessions can be found at meetup.com with the Chattanooga Trail Runners.
Wild Trails is hosting the Scenic City Marathon and Half Marathon on May 21st as part of the Rock Creek Trail Race Series. In addition to promoting fitness through trail races, Wild Trails encourages the creation, maintenance and use of recreational trails in the Tennessee Valley. We spoke with the new executive director Randy Whorton and race enthusiasts Sarah Woerner.
The 2011 Rock Creek Trail Race Series begins this month with the Southern 6. This 6K race will be held on Sunday, February 20th and includes a Kiddie K for young runners to take to the trails. For more than a decade, Rock/Creek has been the sponsor for trail racing in the Chattanooga area. Wild Trails is the 501(c) 3 organization that runs the races in the series and distributes the proceeds to promote the future of trails in the region.
The Southern 6 provides a family friendly event for runners of every age. The race runs through the trails on the campus of Southern Adventist University. These trails provide for comfortable running with a few challenging sections to add spice to the race. Proceeds for the race will benefit the Outdoor Leadership Program at the university.
Online pre-registration ends Monday, February 14, 2011. Race day registration begins at 11:00 am. The 6k race begins at 1:00 pm with the Kiddie K scheduled to begin around 2:30.
Wild Trails is accepting applications for grants to be awarded in February 2011. The nonprofit is expecting local grassroots organizations and nonprofits to propose projects that reflect the mission of Wild Trails. The grant application and more information can be found online at wildtrails.org.
Wild Trails is also hosting the final race in the 2010 Rock Creek Trail Race Series on December 18th. This 50 mile race will explore trails on the Tennessee and Georgia sides of Lookout Mountain. The 10K race will take place at Covenant College. Registration for the 50 mile race closes on December 13th. You can pre-register for the 10K race online or on the day of the event. More information can be found at rockcreek.com.
The Rock/Creek Trail Series Stump Jump 50K and 11 mile trail races will be held on October 2nd. This is the 9th year for this woodland race and the event has grown considerably over the years. For the first time the race organizers, Wild Trails, have decided to set a cut off date for registration with a cap of 800 race participants. Both races begin and end at the Signal Mountain High School. The 11 mile race will welcome 300 racers with a course heading out to Edwards Point. The 50K race will be limited to 500 participants.
All proceeds from the Stump Jump will benefit Wild Trails, a local nonprofit that supports the expansion and use of local trail systems. Part of the mission of Wild Trails includes preservation of our natural resources and promoting the development of sustainable trails. Promoting the use of these trails for recreation and the improved health of our citizens is accomplished through a series of events, including the Stump Jump.
As part of the River Rocks festivities, the vendor fair, Stump Jump packet pickup and Carbo Dinner for the 50K participants has moved to Coolidge Park on the north shore of the Tennessee River. The guest speaker for the dinner is Jen Pharr Davis, professional hiker and current holder of the Women’s Appalachian Trail Record.
The Wilderness Trail Running Association is changing their name, and with this comes a change in the mission of the this 501(c ) 3 organization. For several years now this group has been hosting wilderness trail races and running the Rock/Creek Trail Race Series. The organization has primarily focused on wilderness trail running events, trail preservation, and development of new trails in the Chattanooga region. Wild Trails is the new name and the new mission of this nonprofit expands their enthusiasm for wilderness trails to include other recreational trail users.
The Rock/Creek Trail Race Series kicks off River Rocks this year with the Stump Jump 50K and 11 mile races on October 1st. This is the 10th year for the Stump Jump, one of the more popular races in the series. All of the race positions are currently filled but that does not mean there are not opportunities to be a part of Stump Jump. There is a vendor fair on Friday, September 30 and the North Face Speaker Series will present ultrarunner Diane van Deren as the guest speaker. Proceeds from these events benefit Wild Trails.
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Wild Trails is also hosting the final race in the 2010 Rock Creek Trail Race Series on December 18th. This 50 mile race will explore trails on the Tennessee and Georgia sides of Lookout Mountain. The 10K race will take place at Covenant College. Registration for the 50 mile race closes on December 13th. You can pre-register for the 10K race online or on the day of the event. More information can be found at 
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Around and About Chattanooga 