I heard one time that having a long bucket list meant you were a very optimistic person. Or, that you’re silly and delusional, I forget which. But the gist is that if you have a long bucket list, you are imagining a future full of life and experiences. And, while a 370 item (plus an extra 42 mountains to summit and 28 long trails to hike/run) bucket list is…more than a bit excessive…I like to think that this list is an aspirational guideline for when I need inspiration.
Between coaching the local Fleet Feet trails program and chatting up anyone with half an interest in talking about trails (hiiii!), I’ve kept a mental list of popular or well-established local races. For the last two years, I formalized the list (2024 and 2023) and shared it whenever people asked for race recommendations. I want to continue that tradition this year, so here’s the latest list with updated info for 2025!
Pilot Mountain State Park in North Carolina is a popular place for hikers and runners, and is one of my favorite spots. It is close to Winston-Salem and has a very distinctive profile that lends it nicely as a landmark for navigation, and can be easily seen from some places in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Before there were races and ultras in my life, before there were run clubs and communities on my radar, and before there were training programs and coaching calls on a weekly basis, there was running and there were adventures.
It was another glorious day in the mountains this weekend! Saturday was my sixth time at Uwharrie Mountain Run, and my third time running the race.
Sometimes it’s freezing cold, sometimes it’s warm, sometimes there’s ice, sometimes there’s mud — that’s just the nature of January in North Carolina — but there’s always good company at this community favorite race!
Tips and tricks to prevent your water from freezing during your run or hike adventure during cold winter
