ROAD RAGES

Hogpen Hill Climb-January 21 • Helen, Ga. Every winter, over 600 runners tackle a tough 10-mile, 2,500-foot climb on steep mountain road, topping out at Hogpen Gap.

Charlottesville 10-Miler-April 1 • Charlottesville, Va. Around 2,000 runners head to Central Virginia’s Blue Ridge foothills of Charlottesville for a hill-heavy run that moves from a UVA academia maze to historic downtown and back.

Sunset Stampede-May 6 • Asheville, N.C. • This 10-miler climbs 1,000 feet in the first five miles to the top of Town Mountain. Then it's a lung-burning, leg-shaking full-tilt descent back down the other side.”

The Bear Run-July 6 • Linville, N.C. Five breathtaking (literally) miles from the High Country town of Linville to the top of Grandfather Mountain, gaining 1,500 feet. Save a little something for the steep final mile.

CROWDED HOUSES

Peachtree Road Race 10K-July 4 • Atlanta, Ga. With a capped field of 55,000 runners, it’s the largest 10K race in the world. While elite runners chase after thousands in cash prizes, most runners tend to treat it like the largest Fourth of July party in the world. Bluegrass bands on the sidelines play ‘Eye of the Tiger,’ while frat boys run in baby bonnets and diapers, sucking down Cranberry and Vodka out of their water bottles. The 6.2-mile party culminates at the finish line in Piedmont Park.

Army Ten-MileR-October 8 • Washington, D.C. Never took that family trip to see the sites of D.C.? At the Army 10-Miler you can take the tour with 20,000 friends. Runners cross the National Mall and pass the Lincoln Memorial, Kennedy Center, National World War II Memorial, and the Washington Monument.

Cooper River Bridge Run 10K-April 1 • Charleston, S.C. 50,000 runners will cross the scenic Cooper River suspension bridge before descending into historic Charleston.

Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10K-April 1 • Richmond, Va. A field of 20,000 runs up and back around the median of Monument Avenue past a series of statues commemorating legends of the Confederacy and Arthur Ashe in Richmond’s Historic District.

Cherry Blossom Ten Mile-April 2 • Washington, D.C. This popular race on the professional road circuit is known as the “Runners’ Rite of Spring,” where many world elite and Olympic athletes like to shed their winter skin on a fast course that offers big prize money. Approaching its 34th year, the race will host its largest field of 10,000 runners in 2006. The event sold out in just over a day.

FUN RUNS

Dirty Dog 15K-May 20 • Kanawha State Forest, W.Va. Bring your favorite four-legged training partner. This trail run near Charleston allows dogs that are clad in red neckerchiefs. All proceeds go to a local animal shelter.

Fig Leaf 5K-April 29 • Dawsonville, Ga. Runners let it all hag out at the Fig Leaf 5K, a trail run at a clothing optional resort in North Georgia. Is the spring a little too nipply for nude running ? On the last Saturday of July the Bar-S-Ranch nudist resort also offers the Take Pride in Your Hide Cross-Country 5K in Reidsville, N.C.

Blue Ridge Relay-September 8-9 • Grayson Highlands State Park, Va.

After a successful 2005 debut it’s quickly become a regional fave. Teams of 6-12 members cover 208 miles along the Blue Ridge Parkway from Grayson Highlands to Asheville, passing near Southern Appalachia's highest summits, including Grandfather Mountain and Mount Mitchell.

DIRTY SECRETS

James River Scramble-July 2 • Richmond, Va. The 6.2-mile jaunt crosses two islands, includes a stair climb up the Manchester Bridge Wall, and some infamous boulder hopping.

Hellgate 100K-December 9 • Natural Bridge, Va. What other event starts at midnight, much less in winter, and goes point to point, through Southern Appalachian steeps?

Bartram Trail 21-MILE Endurance Run-March 18 • Bryson City, N.C. After a wet-foot crossing of the ice-cold Nantahala, runners climb up, up, up to the Wayah Bald fire tower for a panoramic finish.

Promise Land 50K-April 22 • Bedford, Va. • These 31 (Horton) miles include a rigorous trek up Onion Mountain and a tough 2.8-mile climb alongisde crashing Apple Orchard Falls.

Shut-In Ridge Trail Run-November • Asheville, N.C. Runners slog 17.8 miles and over 5,000 feet as they make a brutal push toward the 5,721-foot summit of Mount Pisgah.

Great Eastern 100K-September 23 • Afton, Va. This scenic Shenandoah tour takes runners through a mix of singletrack and forest roads, accumulating 13,000 total feet of climb in the George.

Highlands Sky 40-Miler-June 17 • Davis, W.Va. Grind your feet into hamburger meat in the Dolly Sods high plateau country, which includes some of the most ridiculous rock in the region.

Mount Mitchell 40-Mile Challenge-February • Black Mountain, N.C. The course climbs 20 miles to the highest summit east of the Rockies, then plunges down steep, technical trails and rocky roads back home.

THE CENTURY CLUB

Massanutten Mountain 100-Mile Trail Run-May 13 • Front Royal, Va. Massanutten rocks-literally. It's a rocky loop course through the George Washington National Forest, much of it on the orange-blazed Massanutten Trail.

Umstead 100-Mile Endurance Run-April 8 • Raleigh, N.C. Filled with pastoral hills and lakes, Umstead State Park is a 5,000 wooded oasis. Runners complete eight 12.5-mile loops on forgiving gravel and dirt trails.

Barkley 100 Marathon-April • Frozen Head State Park, Tenn. It's the race that eats its young. Only six runners have ever finished. Hands down, the toughest run in the region.

Old Dominion Memorial 100-Mile Run-May 26 • Woodstock, Va. It's the oldest century in the East (well, sort of).

THE NEED FER' SPEED

Crazy 8s 8K-July 15 • Kingsport, Tenn. Rightfully called the “World’s Fastest 8K." Both the men's and women's 8K world records were set here. The race always starts on the 8s (9:58pm) and the course is in the shape of a figure eight.

Midnight Flight 10K/5K- Sept 1 • Anderson, S.C. On this fast course, you’ll find 10K elites pushing sub-five-minute miles and casual road dogs posting new PRs. It helps that runners of the near 30-year-old race can beat the late-summer heat with an 11pm start time. The exciting indoor finish is a great motivator.

Veteran’s Day 10K-November 12 • Washington, D.C. Besides being an honorable charity event to raise money for the military wounded overseas, it’s also known for a speedy course, where last year regional upstart Wilson Komen posted a 30:25.

EXPERT FAVES

ASHEVILLE HALF-MARATHON: “It is an extremely challenging and beautiful course, but it has a special place in my heart, because it is where I set my PR in 2003.” -Zika Palmer, Olympic Marathon Trials Qualifier, Blowing Rock, N.C.

MUD RUN: “It's a grueling five-mile race with challenges, obstacles, and a few mud pits. More than 1,000 runners come out to watch. It finishes on the Chesapeake Bay Beach, so it’s easy to hop in the Bay and wash the sand and the mud off your body.”-Mike Robinson, Running Etc., Norfolk, Va.

Twilight 5K: "The late spring weather in Charlotte is usually cooler in the evening and the 5K course is rolling but rewarding. Plus all of the people come out of the bars and cheer for you." -Thomas Cason, Brevard College Track Coach, Brevard, N.C.

BLue Ridge Relay: “The challenge and camaraderie makes this one unique. It’s the most fun you can have with very little sleep and a lot of smelly odor. Our 11 team members felt the pain of each other and helped each other through every leg.”-Stephen Horan, Fleet Feet Sports, Hickory, N.C.

MOUNT MITCHELL 40-MILER: It's pretty neat to run to the top of the highest point in the East and back to town in one day. The post race meal is also one of the best in the Southeast. -Dave Horton, Pacific Crest Trail record holder, Lynchburg, Va.

NIFTY 50S

JFK 50-Miler-November 18 • Hagerstown, Md. It's the country's oldest and largest ultra, last year having a record 952 finishers. The course includes 26 miles of the C&O Canal Towpath and 13 miles of the Appalachian Trail.

Mountain Masochist 50-Miler-November 4

Lynchburg, Va. Horton's point-to-point race starts at the James River Visitor Center along the Blue Ridge Parkway and finishes at Montebello, along the way climbing 9,000 feet and descending 7,000. It's the toughest 50-miler in the region.

Bull Run RUN 50-Miler-April 8 • Mannasas, Va. Two out-and-backs along Bull Run include muddy singletrack and the infamous Do-Loop, a steep, leaf-littered five-mile stint. Soak in the sights and scents of spring wildflowers popping up along the trail.

26.2 MUST-DO MARATHONS

1. Hatfield-McCoy Marathon-June 10 • Goody, Ky. • www.hatfieldmccoymarathon.com

Fast Fact: This marathon is based on an historic family feud. In the late nineteenth century the West Virginia Hatfields and McCoy's.

Kentucky McCoys lived on opposite sides of the Tug Fork River. The families engaged in a bloody battle that left at least 12 people dead. To help settle the struggle that never had a declared winner, runners enter the Hatfield McCoy Marathon that rolls through the scenic Tug Valley. The field is divided evenly and each half is designated a Hatfield or a McCoy. The half with the lowest cumulative time wins. This seventh year of the event is a tie breaker, as the Hatfields evened thing up at three a piece in 2005.

2. Virginia Creeper Marathon-March 12 • Abingdon, Va. • www.runtricities.org/creepermarathon

3. Shamrock Marathon-March 19 • Virginia Beach, Va. • www.shamrockmarathon.com

4. Tybee Island Marathon-February 4 • Tybee Island, Ga. • www.runtybee.com

5. Umstead Trail Marathon-March 11 • Raleigh, N.C. • www.carolinagodiva.org/umsteadmarathon

6. Knoxville Marathon-March 26 • Knoxville, Tenn. • www.knoxvillemarathon.com

7. Charlottesville Marathon-April 15 • Charlottesville, Va. • www.badtothebone.biz

8. Black Mountain Marathon-February 25 • Black Mountain, N.C. • www.blackmountainmarathon.com

9. Ridge Runner Marathon-June 3 • Cairo, W.Va. • www.northbendsp.com

10. Grandfather Mountain Marathon-July 8 •Boone, N.C. • www.hopeformarrow.org/gmmcourse

11. Dupont Forest Trail Marathon-October 15 • Hendersonville, N.C.

12. Baltimore Marathon-October 14 • Baltimore, Md. • www.thebaltimoremarathon.com

13. Marine Corps Marathon-October 29 • Washington, D.C. • www.marinemarathon.com

Fast Fact: Last year the Marine Corp Marathon filled all of its 25,000 public slots in less than three days, selling out in 62 hours and 19 minutes. Also, during the first hour of registration 3,220 runners (nearly one per second) signed up for the event. If you can’t get in to Marine Corps, try the National Marathon – March 25 – Washington, D.C. - www.nationalmarathon.com.

14. Chickamauga Battlefield Marathon-November 11 • Chickamauga, Gan • www.chattanoogatrackclub.org

15. Atlanta Marathon-November 23 • Atlanta, Ga. • www.atlantatrackclub.org

16. Richmond Marathon-November 11 • Richmond, Va. • www.richmondmarathon.com

17. Rocket City Marathon-December 11 • Huntsville, Ala. • www.runrocketcity.com

18. Seneca Creek Greenway Marathon-March 4 • Damascus, Md. • www.mcrrc.org

19. B&A Trail Marathon-March 5 • Severna Park, Md. • www.annapolisstriders.org

20. Country Music Marathon-April 29 • Nashville, Tenn. • www.cmmarathon.com

21. Myrtle Beach Marathon-February 18 • Myrtle Beach, S.C. • www.mbmarathon.com

22. Mercedes Marathon-February 12 • Birmingham, Ala. • www.mercedesmarathon.com

23. Callaway Gardens Marathon-January 29 • Pine Mountain, Ga. • www.callawaygardens.com

24. Ellerbe Springs Marathon-March 25 • Ellerbe, N.C. • www.etinternet.net/~runrbike/esmfront

25. Frederick Marathon-April 30 • Frederick, Md. • www.frederickmarathon.org

26. Potomac River Run Marathon-May 7 • Alexandria, Va. • www.pvtc.org

0.2 (“alternative” marathons)

Darkside Marathon-November • Peachtree City, Ga.

Moonlight Boogie Marathon-Ellerbe, N.C. • June 17 • www.mangumtc.org