HISTORIC TRIANGLE — As the summer begins to wind down and the temperatures begin to slowly drop, running races of varying lengths begin to populate weekend event calendars across the country.
There are more than 20 races scheduled from August to October in the Historic Triangle alone. There is something for runners of any ability, from easy 5 kilometer fun runs all the way up to half marathons and Olympic level triathlons.
Entry fees also vary, with many of the races putting at least a percentage of the profit towards a specific charity or organization. Listed below are some of the races that will be taking place in the Williamsburg area from this Saturday, Aug. 14 through the first weekend of October. For registration information for any of the races, click the link provided below.
Saturday, Aug. 14
- CDR Superhero 5K at The Vineyards at Jockeyneck, 2659 Jockey’s Neck Trail, Williamsburg. Proceeds from this race will go to benefit Child Development Resources. Day of registration starts at 7 a.m.
- Bow Wow and Meow 5k at York River State Park, 9801 York River Park Road. This 5K will benefit 4 Paws Animal Rescue, Inc. which specializes in rescue and placement of abused, unwanted and abandoned companion animals.
- Jamestown Cross Country & Football Kick Off 5K at Jamestown High School, 3751 John Tyler Highway. This 5K run/walk course is almost completely shaded as it winds through the Green Spring Trail right near the school’s campus.
Saturday, Aug. 28
- Democracy Dash 10K at Historic Jamestown Visitor Center, 1368 Colonial Parkway. This completely flat course if perfect for those looking to set a personal record. Even better there will be music, craft beer and refreshments, and awards ceremony at the Dale House Café on Jamestown Island, overlooking the James River.
Sept. 10-12
- Patriots Triathlon at Jamestown Settlement, 2217 Jamestown Road. This triathlon series will feature long course, Olympic and spring distance races, so there is a distance for triathletes of all abilities. The race starts at Jamestown Beach and will give the participants to the chance to see the area all around Jamestown Settlement. Both the long course and the Olympic races will take place on Saturday, Sept. 11. The sprint race will start on Sunday, Sept. 12.
Saturday, Sept. 11
- Hare and Tortoise 5K at New Quarter Park, 1000 Lakeshead Drive. Proceeds from this race, also known as the Karene O’Hare/Bitsy Whitten Ovarian Cancer Memorial Run, will go to supports Ovarian Cancer screening, treatment and education for uninsured and under-insured women in the greater Williamsburg community.
- Virginia Brewery Running Series at The Virginia Beer Company, 401 Second Street. This course starts and finishes at the brewery. All participants, 21 and older, will get a beer and a collectors pint glass or seasonal swag item from the Brewery Running Series. 10 percent of the proceeds will go to goes directly to local nonprofits like Dream Catchers of Williamsburg.
Saturday, Sept. 18
- All Shades 5K at Historic Jamestown Island, 1368 Colonial Parkway. This inaugural event is sponsored by the nonprofit charity Striving for Excellence and Equality in Dietetics, which works to create financial stability for people of color by promoting dietetics as a career choice. Proceeds from the race will help to fund the dietetics intern scholarship program at Virginia State University.
Saturday, Sept. 25
- Crazy 8 Trail 8 Miler at York River State Park, 9801 York River Park Road. This duathlon is not for the faint of heart. It starts with an eight mile along the Mattaponi Trail in York River State Park followed by an eight mile run. A portion of the proceeds will go to Friends of York River State Park.
- Ice-Aholics Freedom Run at Lois Hornsby Middle School, 850 Jolly Pond Road. This event will feature 8K and 5K races and proceeds will go to benefit the Virginia Special Olympics.
Saturday, Oct. 2
- 12th Annual Williamsburg Landing 5K for The Arc at Williamsburg Landing, 5700 Williamsburg Landing Drive. This race has a virtual options and all of the proceeds from the event will go to benefit The Arc of Greater Williamsburg. The Arc’s mission is to improve the quality of life for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in our community.
