Hashawha Hills Trail Run

Joe Clapper and Diana Widdowson won the first Hashawha Hills 50km. Results, a report, and photos are now available.

2008 Results, photos, and report

The sane alternative to the Reverse Ring. Alan and Pam welcome you to the first running of the Hashawa Hills Trail Run; a fast 50K on the hilly trails of The Hashawha Environmental Center, located in Westminster Maryland.

When:    7:30AM February 23, 2008

Where:

Cost: This is a fat ass event, so it’s free! Despite the fat ass label, you will nonetheless be pampered way more than necessary.

Your Hosts: Pam and Alan Gowen

Course: The run is two circuits of a 15.5-mile loop course. The course has about ¾-mile of asphalt, one mile of gravel road, and 13.5 miles of trail per loop. The trails are mostly single track, along with some old woods roads, and open fields. The course is all runnable and is quite fast. There are no mountains, no rocks, and no roots, but there are a few small stream crossings and constant small hills to wear you down, with a couple of bigger ones thrown in just for fun. The scenery changes from mostly woods to meadows and open fields with beautiful views of rolling farmland. The course will be well marked for the entire distance, however this area is a true maze of trails and therefore you will need to pay attention. Come prepared to cover over 8 miles of trail without aid. There will be complete aid stations at approximately 8.3 miles, 10.5 miles, 15.5 miles, 23.8 miles, and 26.0 miles.

Details: Pre-race and post-race will be indoors. We’ve reserved the heated auditorium and bathrooms located indoors at the Bear Branch Nature Center. There will be some sort of food and drink indoors at the finish. The park has a no-alcohol policy that we need to comply with. The race is on unless we’re in the midst of a howling blizzard. (A real blizzard. Not what the TV guys call a blizzard) and we will try to notify everyone by email should this occur, but help us out here and get in touch if in doubt

Registration: You need to let us know you’re coming or we won’t have enough stuff and then you and everyone else will have a crummy time. Just email us to let us know you want to run or volunteer at alangowen@gmail.com

Volunteers: This run is free, but if folks want to get more than they paid for we’ll need some help on race day. Feel good about yourself and make us look good too by volunteering to help put on a quality run by emailing us.

Map: Here is a map on Mapquest.

Directions from Northern VA, DC and Montgomery County

• Take I-270 North.
• Exit 16 onto Father Hurley Blvd. East or north following MD 27, ridge Road north
• Continue north on MD 27 through Damascus & Mt. Airy into downtown Westminster.
• Cross Main St, continue thru underpass & turn right onto ramp for MD 140 West and MD 97 North. Continue on MD 140 west / MD97 North.
• Bear right on ramp leaving MD 140 onto MD 97 North. Follow MD 97 North.
• After passing the air park on your left and a plant nursery on your right, turn right onto John Owings Road at the park sign for Hashawha Environmental Center and the Bear Branch Nature Center.
• Turn left on Hashawha Road at the sign for Hashawha and Bear Branch.
• Proceed to the right hand turn into the Bear Branch parking lot.

Directions from US-15 and areas north and west

Take US-15 north or south to Emmitsburg. Exit onto MD140 East. Follow MD 140 east through Taneytown to MD-97 north. Follow above directions on MD 97 north

Directions from the Baltimore and areas north and east

• From I-695 exit onto I-795 west. Follow I-795 west toward Owings Mills.
• Bear to the right as I-795 becomes MD 140 west
• Follow MD 140 west to MD-97 north.
• Turn right off MD 140 onto MD 97 north and follow above directions north on MD 97

Contact us if you have any questions at all, and we hope to see everyone on February 23, 2008.

Alan & Pam Gowen
alangowen@gmail.com