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December 15, 2014

Burke Lake Park 15k Trail Race

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Morning, friends. 🙂 One of the big highlights of my weekend was a 15k trail race in beautiful Burke Lake Park in Virginia!

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My friend Ashley found this race a few weeks ago; I love trail races and have been wanting to do more so I was fully on board. Our friend Kathleen got in on the fun, too!

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Small races are so nice, especially having done so many big ones lately – Kathleen and I rolled up at 8:35, had no problem finding Ashley and her friend, hitting the bathrooms, and making it to the start by 9 for the race start. Awesome!

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We had perfect running weather – cold and sunny, just how I like it. 🙂

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Kathleen, Ashley, and I all stuck together for the first couple miles, then Ashley charged on ahead and Kathleen and I settled into a nice casual pace. Our #1 goal: have fun and enjoy the views. 🙂

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And what views there were! Burke Lake was gorgeous – I need to come out here again soon! It reminded me a lot of some of my favorite running spots in North Carolina. 🙂

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This was my favorite part. 🙂

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Kathleen and I spent the whole race chatting away and catching up, which made the miles fly by. Around mile 8, though, we saw a hill looming ahead and both of us were starting to get a bit tired. Well what do you know – right before the hill, I was surprised and excited to see one of my AnneTheRD clients and her husband cheering us on! She’s my longest running client – we started working together when I first started my practice in February 2013, and still meet every month or two. I just met with her on Thursday, and told her offhand about the race this weekend. Well, they live near the trail so she decided to sneakily come out to surprise us!

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So sweet of her – and just the boost we needed to get up that hill and finish the race on a high note. 🙂

15k – 9.3 miles – done!

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We finished right at an hour and a half. Considering we talked the whole time and weren’t focused on speed (and given that about half the trail involved dirt/roots aka watching your feet so you didn’t trip), I was pleased!

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The race was on 12/13/14, and was 15k – cool, right? I liked the race shirts. 🙂

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We did some snacking after the race (they were well organized and had a good amount of snacks, water, hot chocolate, etc.) and then Ashley, Kathleen, and I headed to nearby Great Harvest to refuel more properly.

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Turkey, egg, tomato, and cheddar for me on the cheddar garlic bread. It wasn’t the most amazing egg sandwich I’ve ever had (I’m kind of a connoisseur when it comes to eggs sandwiches, nbd), but it hit the spot.

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Such a fun morning with good friends. Ladies, let’s do trail races together more often! And a big thank you again to my client and her husband for coming out to cheer us on! 🙂

I also wanted to give a big thank you to those who were out volunteering for us at the trail race. I was impressed with how well organized it was, especially for such a small race. The event was hosted by Metro Run & Walk Springfield; I’ll definitely be checking their website for future events!

Who else raced or ran over the weekend? How was it?

Trail races or road races? I like both for different reasons – road races for really pushing it and trying to PR; trail races for enjoying the ride. 🙂

- anne
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26 comments
  • Erika December 15, 2014 · 9:41AM:
    Do you have any recommendations for sites to find nearby races for 2015? I have been using Active.com, but haven't been having much luck finding upcoming events. Not sure if it's the site or the fact that I live in a winter tundra and there won't be any races in my area till the spring and those races aren't posted yet. Thanks! And thanks for all the inspiring running posts!
    Reply
    • mary @ minutes per mile
      December 15, 2014 · 10:45AM:
      Runner's World has a pretty comprehensive race calendar; so does USATF. And also, for local races, check out RunWashington! They've got a ton in the DC/MD/VA area.
      Reply
    • Anne
      December 15, 2014 · 11:36AM:
      Hmmm have you tried Running in the USA? Another tip is to check the websites of local running stores. Good luck and have fun out there! :)
      Reply
      • Erika December 15, 2014 · 2:36PM:
        Thanks!!
        Reply
  • Shel@PeachyPalate
    December 15, 2014 · 9:54AM:
    That sandwich does look epic!! You're officially the happiest runner ever! Always smiling! :)
    Reply
    • Anne
      December 15, 2014 · 11:33AM:
      It's all about the socializing + running for me! Friends + running + a sunny day = happy Anne.
      Reply
  • Lauren @ The Bikini Experiment
    December 15, 2014 · 10:06AM:
    Fun race! We have a trail behind our apartment complex and I love it for runs. Nothing like distance, but it's a convenient way to fit in a quick run during the day. Happy Monday!
    Reply
  • Alaina
    December 15, 2014 · 10:48AM:
    Congrats on a great race! Yesterday I ran my last race of the year! I challenged myself to run 30 races to celebrate turning 30 and I finished the challenge yesterday with a race in Providence. :-) And now I need LOTS of yoga. ;-)
    Reply
    • Anne
      December 15, 2014 · 11:32AM:
      That's awesome! Happy 30th year! Enjoy the yoga :)
      Reply
  • Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
    December 15, 2014 · 11:23AM:
    So fun! Haha, I love the numbers too!
    Reply
  • Leslie @ Life Begins at 30?
    December 15, 2014 · 11:31AM:
    I have never done a trail race, but the views from this one look awesome! 12-13-14-15 is so fun! I did a Christmas Light 5K with some girlfriends this weekend. It was great weather and a fun evening race.
    Reply
    • Anne
      December 15, 2014 · 11:32AM:
      I love holiday themed races - especially those with lights! How fun!
      Reply
  • Alex @ get big, go to work
    December 15, 2014 · 1:02PM:
    No racing here but I did enjoy a nice 3.5 mile run on Saturday afternoon. The weather was beautiful-very sunny which led way to very mild temperatures. It was the perfect way to kick off the weekend. I'm looking at running my next race in March, a huge 10k in Richmond. Always a fun and well-organized race.
    Reply
  • Dana | fresh simple five
    December 15, 2014 · 1:21PM:
    Sounds like a fun race! I love that your client came to surprise you. Seeing friends/family cheering you on is always the best part of the race for me. Like you mentioned, it just gives you an extra boost! No races for me this weekend, but was pleasantly surprised by the 50 degree weather we had. A nice way to squeeze in an outdoor run before it gets really cold.
    Reply
  • Rachael@AnAvocadoADay
    December 15, 2014 · 1:24PM:
    Aww Burke Lake is right across the street from my parents house! That's where I used to run when I ran cross country in high school. Still one of my favorites for walking the dogs when I come home. We'll have to plan a DC/NOVA Blog Brulee reunion for December!
    Reply
    • Anne
      December 15, 2014 · 2:11PM:
      I'm jealous, so pretty there! Let me know when you're here! (We're out of town Dec 22 to Jan 4, though, FYI.)
      Reply
  • Roadrunner December 15, 2014 · 2:04PM:
    Perfect combination: good distance, lovely weather, beautiful views, good friends, and surprise fans! Very nice!
    Reply
  • Erin @ Erin's Inside Job
    December 15, 2014 · 2:56PM:
    Looks like a great race! I havent done any trail races but I love running on them, so I will have to see if there are any near me. Of course I just moved to Chicago, so I think I will have to travel for those ones :)
    Reply
  • Chelsea @ Chelsea Eats Treats
    December 15, 2014 · 3:05PM:
    Looks so pretty!!
    Reply
  • Becky
    December 15, 2014 · 5:34PM:
    This sounds like such a fun race! I used to run at Burke Lake all the time for cross country in high school and I always LOVED the views! I'll have to keep this race in mind for next year :)
    Reply
  • Fiona @ Get Fit Fiona
    December 15, 2014 · 6:22PM:
    It looks like you had beautiful surroundings for the race.
    Reply
  • Jennifer Lattinc December 15, 2014 · 10:40PM:
    I am in love with the Dakota and Woodstock bread varities at Great Harvest. We moved a couple years ago and no longer have one near us. I try and stock up on a loaf or two when we visit family.
    Reply
    • Anne
      December 15, 2014 · 10:59PM:
      I haven't tried Woodstock, but love Dakota as well!
      Reply
  • Kris S December 16, 2014 · 8:42AM:
    Bravo ladies! Well done! :D
    Reply
  • Heather @ Dietitian on the Run
    December 17, 2014 · 1:32PM:
    Trail races always feel so refreshing! Congrats for keeping the pace strong + the mind happy - that's pretty rare. ;)
    Reply
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anne mauney fannetastic food
Hi, I’m Anne! I'm a Washington D.C. based Registered Dietitian, mother, runner, and lover of travel, adventure, and the great outdoors. I've been blogging since 2009, sharing a mix of lifestyle content, recipes, and fitness tips. Come for the recipes – stay for the fun!
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I’m Anne, a Registered Dietitian and mother. I've been blogging since 2009 and love showing others that eating nutritious foods and staying active can actually be fun rather than overwhelming!

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