Congratulations Rowena Jumamoy and Lisa Staton! You are this Friday’s winners of free entries into the Oct. 20th Pretty Muddy women-only mud run in Pocahontas State Park. You’ll be receiving an email from us shortly.

The good news, for those who weren’t selected, is that we’ll have two more entries to give away every Friday between now and race day. So, if today wasn’t your lucky day, click here to shoot us an email and let us know that you want to be entered in next week’s contest (even if you already sent an email for this week’s contest). And be sure to tell your friends, because who wants to get muddy without a couple of peeps to share in the fun?

This one may be slightly outside of Central Virginia, but it looks like a cool race in a very cool place. Back in June I made the drive to Caledon State Park (formerly Caledon Natural Area) for a column in the T-D. The park is east of Fredericksburg on the tidal Potomac River. It’s actually not a very long drive from Richmond, and once you get off I-95, it’s quite beautiful. The park has been a haven for bald eagles since the 1970s, and as eagle numbers recovered, more of the park was opened to the public. It has an impressive system of singletrack and fire road trails. I highly recommend a visit. And if you’re a runner, why not kill two birds with one stone.

Caledon State Park on the Potomac River.

This is from Johanna Petroski, District II Visitor Services Specialist with the state parks:

Trail racing isn’t getting more and more popular among runners for nothin’. There’s more to it than what you’d expect. Be the first to run this trail race at Caledon State Park! The Howlin’ Coyote 10k is Caledon State Park’s first ever trail race, happening September 29, 2012 starting at 9:30 a.m.!

With wide rock dust roads and single track dirt paths meandering through the wooded forests of the park, you wouldn’t be surprised if you found yourself at the finish line in no time.

The 6.2 mile course will take you through a shaded semi flat refuge, surrounded by mature trees with twists and turns, terrain littered with rocks, rolling hills, and the sounds of nature overhead. Trail racing isn’t for first timers though. Preparing yourself for the trail isn’t the same as pounding the pavement day in and day out. I recommend venturing out to the park and exploring the trails during your training runs so your body has time to adapt. Every footfall is a mystery on the trail, engaging muscles you normally don’t use while running on the even planed roads. It takes more balance and control than you might realize you ever had!

The competition will be toeing the line, as the Friends of Caledon are sponsors of the race, and some are participants gunning to put down a new course record. Awards will be given to the top 3 male and female overall finishers and top male and female in each age division. All finishers will receive a finisher’s coin. Race Timing Unlimited will be manually timing the race and posting race results. The Friends have partnered up with neighbors from the Fredericksburg Area Running Club (FARC), where runners from all over are opting into the trail race scene giving their legs a break from the straight even surfaces of the road. You can find the registration form at any of their events and upcoming races too.

Online registration is open, or complete and download a form and mail it in or drop it off at the Caledon’s Visitor Center. Same day registration is available starting at 8 am. Registration fee is $25.00.

For more details, visit the Friends of Caledon Website.

That’s a a lot of mud!

Last week, Katy Miller and Nilima Patel took home free entries in the Oct. 20th Pretty Muddy women-only mud/obstacle run at Pocahontas State Park. That’s a $70 value, and all they had to do was “like” RichmondOutside and Pretty Muddy on Facebook and send me their contact info. Pretty easy, right?

Now it’s your turn. This week, and for the next three, we’ve got another two free entries to give away. Again, it’s as simple as hitting “like” on FB and emailing RichmondOutside by clicking here.

The first Pretty Muddy took place this past Saturday in Chicago, where 1,700 women showed up to run 3.2 miles with their friends — and get dirty doing it. Just as impressive, an estimated 2,000 spectators came out to cheer them on. The race at Pocahontas promises to be just as fun.

Doesn’t this look like fun?

The results are in! After drawing straws, flipping a few coins and picking names out of a hat, we’re ready to announce this Friday’s winners in the Pretty Muddy raffle. The winners each get a free entry into the race on Oct. 20. That’s a $70 value, folks! And the good news, for those who weren’t selected, is that we’ll have two more entries to give away every Friday between now and race day. So, if today wasn’t your lucky day, click here to shoot us an email and let us know that you want to be entered in next week’s contest (even if you already sent an email for this week’s contest). And be sure to tell your friends, because who wants to get muddy without a couple of peeps to share in the fun?

Okay, drumroll…

The winners are… Katy Miller and Nilima Patel! Congrats, ladies. You’ll be receiving an email from us shortly.

Clean Virginia Waterways of Longwood University and the Virginia Aquarium are conducting a two-year study about balloon litter in Virginia. See more from their release:

Read More

There’s a new race series coming to Richmond (actually Pocahontas State Park in Chesterfield) this October 20th that RichmondOutside.com is proud to help promote. Sure, mud runs and the like are everywhere these days, but this one is different. This one is just for women. This is meant to be uncompetitive and fun — a day out with the girls.

Kevin Scharnek came up with the the idea for the Pretty Muddy mud/obstacle runs when his wife told him she had signed up for a similar one near their home in Milwaukee. She’d always been an athlete but he didn’t think a race like that — muddy, tough, but women-only only and not competitive — would be for her.

“She floored me,” said the entrepreneur. “I just never thought she would have done it. So, I thought to myself, how many other women are there out there that are just intimidated and don’t want to do any of these events.”

That was this time last year. This weekend in Chicago, the first Pretty Muddy race goes off. On October 20, it’s Richmond’s turn. The course in Pocahontas State Park will be 5k in length with mud pits and “architectural obstacles” to traverse and a finish line party with entertainment, music and drinks.

“It’s cool; its unique; it’s motivating,” Scharnek said. “We create an experience that really lives beyond the event itself.”

Back of the race t-shirt

And there’s good news for RichmondOutside.com readers. We’ll be teaming up with Pretty Muddy to give away two free race entries every Friday (starting this Friday) before the race. That’s a 70 value (for each ticket) for free! All you need to do is “like” RichmondOutside.com and Pretty Muddy on Facebook. Then send us an email — by clicking here — and you’ll be entered in this Friday’s raffle. Just make sure you include your email address, so we can get back with you if you win.

The weather will be great; the leaves will be changing; why not come out to Pocahontas on Oct. 20 and get a little dirty with your friends?

Credit: Riverside Outfitters

In my Sunday column in the Times-Dispatch, I tried to offer a little historical context for Richmond being honored by Outside Magazine as it’s “Best River Town.” When you’re paddling Pony Pasture, running on the Buttermilk Trail or putting your boat in at Ancarrow’s Landing, it’s easy to forget how far the river and the city have come together. Once you have that context, it makes the award all the more impressive.

Check it out here.

There are now just over three weeks to go until the kickoff of sustainRVA‘s inaugural event — Renew Richmond. Their website is up and running, and they recently added a sweet video explaining what Renew Richmond is and why you should get involved. Check it out here, and start getting your trash pickin’, art makin’ team together now.

If you’re in the mood to celebrate – and after the big Outside Magazine news, who isn’t? – head to Hardywood Park tomorrow (Friday, Sept. 7). The shindig starts at 5 p.m. with food vendors and, of course, beer. A bluegrass band will play at 6 p.m.

Hardywood threw a party to rock the vote during the competition. So, it only makes sense that they’re now playing host to the winner’s party. And the best part: Everyone is invited. That’s everyone as in all of Richmond. Could get crowded.

It’s official, folks: Richmond is the “Best Town Ever.” That’s according to Outside Magazine in their October 35th anniversary issue. A bit of hyperbole maybe, but they are trying to sell magazines.

You may remember, RVA was one of 10 finalists for the honor earlier in the summer. After a month of voting, commenting and photo uploading on Facebook, Richmond looked like the champ. But we had to wait for the official word.

Check out my Times-Dispatch article for details and quotes you won’t see from any other news outlet. Tomorrow there will be a 2 p.m. press conference on Brown’s Island announcing the honor. Speakers will include Jon Lugbill of the Sports Backers, Jack Berry of the RMC&VB, Bill Street of the JRA and others.

When Outside’s writer Jon Billman was in town scouting Richmond, I, along with friends Chris Hull and Pat Calvert, took him to Pipeline Rapid to fish and snorkel for catfish. He did a great job with the piece and featured our time together in his final two paragraphs.

The Outside website also has a cool feature where you can see the cover shot of Richmond in mosaic form — the same form subscribers will receive. You can zoom in and find the pictures Facebook voters submitted.