JOAN Boone of Efland who did the Cardinal Track Club race calendar (RunwellNC) for years apparently retired and the club made website changes that include eliminating the calendar. Running Shorts, a weekly guide to running in the Triad developed by Eddie Wooten, stopped publishing in July. It began as a weekly column in the Greensboro paper and moved online-only later when the paper shrunk sports.
That leaves two primary online places to check for local races: the Carolina Godiva TC race calendar maintained by Patrick Bruer (carolinagodiva.org) and CSN’s monthly ob-line race listings (communitysportsnews.com). They are among the remaining free local options for area runners, plus runningusa/nc.com.
TRAIL running increased by 32.4 percent last year, the seventh fastest growing U.S. sport, according to a report from RunningUSA. The report also said race entry fees were up 4-9 percent due to inflation and higher costs. 10Ks had the biggest increases, up 9 percent over 2023 and 20 percent higher than 2019. Some 16 percent of all runners in races were ages 18-29, up from 15 percent last year.
TROPICAL Storm Debby’s impact on area running trails was limited. Low-lying places like Bolin Creek and Morgan Creek trails flooded as per usual; the UNC cross country trail at Finley had a few downed trees and continued erosion.
TWO Tar Heel races, Pilot Mountain to Hanging Rock Ultra, Sep. 28, Danbury, and Pisgah 555, 55.5K MTB/Running, Oct. 5, Pisgah Forest, were included in the Blue Ridge Outdoors Go The Distance tough endurance races this fall.
XC Series of Carolina Godiva continues on Wednesdays in September–Sep. 18 at Duke’s Al Buehler Trail, 5K/8K/10K, and Sep. 25 at UNC Finley XC Trail, 5K or 8K. Races start at 6 and are rain or shine. A donation of $1 per race is requested.
PARKRUN 5Ks (free but pre-registration suggested) are held every Saturday at 8 a.m. at Umstead Park, Chapel Hill, and Southern Boundaries Park, Durham. There are 74 of them across the country.
CSN no longer includes any US Road Running races in the paper’s racing calendar. They offer few awards and results often are shaky or incomplete.
SIGNUP for the 34th Uwharrie Mountain Run Feb. 1 in Ophir opens Nov. 1 at 8 a.m. at uwharriemountainrun.com/registration or runsignup.com. Distances are 8/20/40m. If you’re late you’re out of luck.