BRR Training Run #3 (The North)

This is the last of the three winter training runs in preparation for the Bull Run Run 50 Miler course ahead of this April’s run. Come out and get some easy rolling miles on the upstream (northern) section of the Bull Run-Occoquan Trail! Starting at the Hemlock Overlook Regional Park trailhead at the end of Yates Ford Road at 8 am, this run will cover the sections of the course that make up the first 17+ miles of the BRR 50 Miler.

As a change of pace from the other training runs, this one is scheduled for a Sunday to allow runners who may have conflicts on most Saturdays the opportunity to join us for at least one of the runs.

This section of the BRR 50 mile course is considered the “easy” part of the run. While there are some good climbs and descents, there is a lot of flat, stream-side running, and the northernmost section beyond the Centreville trailhead is particularly flat and runnable. This section will include what in April should be the very striking Bluebell Loop in Bull Run Regional Park.

Sharp-eyed runners will likely note that this was the same course that was slated to be run in January for the Baby Bull Run #1. Due to a previously scheduled work project by trail maintainers with the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club at a stream crossing in this section, the Baby Bull in January went south through soccer fields to the Marina and beyond, and then back to Hemlock. The original Baby Bull #3 was going to be a run from Fountainhead to the Marina on that southern section of the BROT, but it was felt that this section should be scheduled instead, since it is not as commonly run.

No signup is necessary for this training run, and the only planned aid will be water, soda and maybe some snickety snacks at the midway point in the run, between the BROT and Bluebell trailheads. The route will not be marked in any way other than the blazing on the trails. Almost the entire run will be utilizing the blue-blazed BROT.

To date, all of these Baby Bull runs have drawn several dozen runners of all abilities and running speeds. So come on out, and look to find other runners of similar pace to cover the course. Those of you not familiar with the course should not worry, as these sections are not particularly tricky to follow. But do your homework! Download the BPX file to your favorite device or app to give you that added security while out on the trail.

Shoot BRR #3 organizer Quatro Hubbard a message if you have questions, comments or concerns. If you are interested in coming to help out with the parking at Hemlock and/or the aid station at Bull Run Regional Park, Q would very much love to hear from you - particularly since co-BRR RD Katie Keier will be in Italy and thus not particularly available to join us for this run.

Hope to see you there! And entry is still available for the Bull Run Run 50 miler, for those still shopping for a fun spring run!