NEW distance races in Chapel Hill and Durham are among an expanded spring running lineup.
Blue Heaven Trail Fest April 24-25 has 100m team relay, XC HM and 4m, sunset to sunrise challenge on 4m loop trail at Together Animal Sanctuary in Chapel Hill. The Garmin M/HM starts outside DBAP downtown and ends inside Duke’s Wallace Wade Stadium.
Other new races include 5Ks March 21 at Hillside High, March 29 at UNC, May 9 at Northwood High, Pittsboro.
BENEFIT swim meets are few in number locally, but the Third Annual Swim For Charlie masters meet fundraiser Sunday, April 12, at the Sportsplex in Hillsborough is special.
Swim for Charlie teaches second graders in Orange/Durham schools life-saving water safety skills. Swim meet starts at 8:50 a.m. and has 23 mixed events from 50 to 500s. Register at club-assistant.com/club/form/ register. Volunteers are needed for both the swim meet and in-pool program. Training provided.
If open water swimming is your choice, try the 16th Open Water Challenge May 20 at Jordan Lake’s Vista Point, Pittsboro. Three distances are offered: 1K, 1.2m, 2.4m. Register at eventreach.com by 4/30.
ONE of the season’s first triathlons is the March 7 Leo’s Peanut Butter & Jelly Sprint Tri in Morganton. The race honors the organizer’s father (swim half mile indoors, bike 12.4m, run 5K). “We’ll race and eat in his honor.”
The biggest local triathlon is the May 30 Triangle Sprint & Mini Sprint at Harris Lake, New Hill, 6th event in N.C. Tri Series, the largest on the East Coast.
WINTER weather postponed several local races. New race dates: Occoneechee Mountain Challenge 10m trail, Hillsborough, Feb. 22; Kay Yow Cancer Fund Celebration 4K (untimed), Cary, March 1.
CSN continues to not list races put on by U.S. Road Racing and N.C. Brewery Series. They are not good value.
J.B.