James River Trail Runs

WHO: All are invited. Ages 1 to 101! All abilities welcome, 4 minute through 15 minute milers, fast or slow sprinters.

WHAT: Track Races as shown below. With exception of 1 and 2 mile, distances are in meters. Age Group ribbons for awards. Cost for runners is just one dollar per evening. (LRRC Race Series 5,000K (3.1Miles) on June 10th is $5).

WHEN:

JUNE 2 (Tuesday): 1500m (6:30 pm - 7:00 pm); Open 100m (7:10pm); Age Groups 100m (7:15-7:45 pm); 800m (7:45-8:00 pm)

JUNE 9 (Tuesday): 100m (Kid’s 4 and Under) 6:30pm; Age Groups 200m (6:35 – 6:50 pm); Open 200m (7:00 pm): LRRC Race Series 5,000m Heat 1 – 7:20 pm (30 minutes and over); Heat 2 – 8:00 pm (23 to 30 minutes); Heat 3 - 8:35 pm (19 to 23 minutes); Heat 4 – 9:00 pm (under 19 minutes)

JUNE 16 (Tuesday): Age Groups 100 m (6:30-6:55 pm); Open 100m (7:00); 2 Mile (7:05 pm-7:45 pm); 400 m (8:00 - 8:15 pm)

JUNE 23 (Tuesday) 1 Mile (6:30 pm-7:00 pm); 100m (Kid’s 4 and Under) 7:10 pm; Open 200m (7:15); Age Groups 200 m (7:20-7:45 pm); 800 m (7:45-8:00 pm)

June 30 (Tuesday) Makeup Date in Case of Cancellation

WHERE: University of Lynchburg (formerly Lynchburg College) Track

Celebrate National Trails Day by participating in the 15th running of the National Trails Day 5K at High Bridge Trail State Park. The park is a rail-to-trail conversion and is a wide, level surface with virtually no grade. The course is out and back across the historic half-mile long High Bridge. This event is sponsored by Friends of High Bridge Trail. All proceeds support park programs.

Local Farmville businesses provide generous raffle prizes randomly selected during the awards ceremony. All runners are automatically entered into the drawing. Both runners and walkers are welcome.

Start/Finish Location:

1466 Camp Paradise Road, Rice, VA 23966. $5.00 PARKING AT RACE SITE

(Directions: located just 3 miles from downtown Farmville, follow Rt. 460 to Aspen Hill Road, follow Aspen Hill Road 1.7 miles crossing the High Bridge Trail. 1466 Camp Paradise Road is on the LEFT and clearly marked as the entrance to High Bridge Trail State Park. Follow paved Camp Paradise Rd. to parking lot at new visitor center. - - GPS: 1466 Camp Paradise Road (Aspen Hill Road -Rt. 601, Rice, VA 23966)

REGISTRATION:

Online registration $30, $35 (June 1 - June 6 - Race Day)

Registration fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.

If the "in-person" 5K is canceled, all registrations will be moved to a Virtual 5K scheduled the same day.

Family Pricing

We are happy to encourage family participation. Save $2.50 per registration when a family of 4 or more registers together. This applies to immediate family members. Family pricing is not retro-active. All registrations must be completed in one transaction. This option is selected during registration.

Pre Race Packet Pickup:

FREE $5.00 parking voucher available for those that pickup their packet on Friday, June 5th.

Friday, June 5, 11:30am – 6:00pm at Virginia's Heartland Regional Visitor Center, 121 E. Third Street, Farmville, VA 23901 (434)392-1482.

Packet Pickup, Race Day Registration, Parking

Race Day registration is available for $35. However, there is no "on-site" registration. Those registering can do so via their mobile device or computer before arriving at the start/finish.

(Directions: located just 3 miles from downtown Farmville, follow Rt. 460 to Aspen Hill Road, follow Aspen Hill Road 1.7 miles crossing the High Bridge Trail. Camp Paradise Road is on the LEFT and clearly marked as the entrance to High Bridge Trail State Park. GPS: Aspen Hill Road (Rt. 601), Rice, VA 23966)

Please note there is a $5.00 Virginia State Park parking fee collected on-site.

(Those attending packet pickup on Friday, June 5th receive a complimentary $5.00 parking voucher.)

Strollers and Pets

Stollers appropriate for running/walking (ie. handbrake, tether, tire size) on a crushed gravel surface are allowed. The event reserves the right to deny participation of strollers it considers unsafe. Please reach out to the Race Director with any questions or concerns.

Pets are not allowed to participate.

Questions/Concerns:

High Bridge Trail State Park at (434)315-0457 or Virginia's Heartland Regional Visitor Center at (434)392-1482.

This race is a challenging run through the beautiful neighborhoods of our city. Participants receive a race day t-shirt, run a course with fully stocked aid stations, and enjoy a post-race awards ceremony along with food & drink. You can also run with the satisfaction of knowing that a portion of your race fee will be donated to our local Relay for Life chapter.

The Summer Sweat 5K is the 3rd race in the 4-race series. Why run just one when you can run all four! To learn more and sign up for other Run the Valley race series races visit www.RuntheValley.com. Run the Valley Race Series races include:

Mad Anthony Mud Run (February)

Park to Park 1/2 Marathon (April)

Summer Sweat 5K (July)

Fall Foliage 10K (October)

*Note: The Poplar Forest Parkway off Enterprise Dr. will be closed on race day. All participants must enter via our service entrance at:

687 Poplar Forest Dr.

Forest, VA 24551

Written directions to Service Entrance can be found at https://www.poplarforest.org/visit/the-retreat/directions/

Description

Are you up for an adventure? Challenge yourself to beat the clock as you take on a 3.1-mile obstacle race through Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest plantation encountering obstacles (and some mud) along the way!

Entry fees will support educational programming at Poplar Forest.

Registration Information

Register early and save! Registration fees increase to $50 on July 25, 2026.

Late registration and day-of registration fees increase to $60 beginning on Thursday, August 14th.

Race Day registration will be available beginning at 6:30 AM on Saturday, August 15th. T-shirts will ONLY be guaranteed to those who registered before July 25th. All others will be invited to come back immediately after the race and claim their t-shirts. First come, first served.

Elite Runners and Teams - The first four waves of the race are reserved for Elite (or competitive) runners. Participants will compete for cash prizes and free entry into next year’s race. Elite runners must complete all obstacles (completion will be monitored by race volunteers at each obstacle) to qualify for prizes.

Corporate Teams and Elite Teams - Teams of 5-8 participants complete for the chance to win prizes. Teams are not required to stay together, but it is encouraged as much of the course will require teamwork to come out on top. Individual finishing times will not be provided. Teams will receive one finishing time for the last member of the team who crosses the finish line.

Non-Competitive Waves - These waves begin at 8:20 a.m. These waves are designed for the vast majority of racers. Participants in these heats are not racing for cash and prizes. All obstacles are optional and there are no penalties for not completing an obstacle. If you want to race with a specific person, please make sure you register in the same wave time. We cannot guarantee we can move you to another wave time.

Please make sure all participants you wish to race with choose the same wave time. Register early as once a wave time is filled, it will disappear! (20-person limit per wave time). Race organizers cannot guarantee the addition of runners to team waves who did not register with the team.

Packet Pick Up

Packet Pickup will be held at Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest’s Service Entrance (687 Poplar Forest Dr. Forest, VA 24551) from 7 a.m.-9 a.m., 11:30 am - 1:30 pm and 4-6 pm on Friday, August 14th.

We highly encourage everyone, if able, to pick up your packet on Friday, August 14th at Poplar Forest. Once you have picked up your packet, there is no need to “check-in” at the registration table on the day of the race. This will alleviate the congestion and lines at the registration and packet pick-up tables. If

you pick up your packet on Friday, please just meet us at the starting line 10-15 minutes before your starting wave time. If you are unable to pick up your packet on Friday, we will have pickup starting at 6:30 am on Saturday, August 15th.

All Corporate teams should plan to send ONE representative from each team to pick up their entire team's packet on Friday, August 16th during the times listed. We will “pre-pull” all corporate team packets to make a quick and easy pick-up.