A roundup of the region’s top outdoor events.

Don’t miss these fall fat tire favorites—from hundred-mile epics to white-knuckle downhill screamers. SHENANDOAH MOUNTAIN 100 September 5 • Stokesville, Va. Epic yet attainable. That’s how this race is often described—a great option for aspiring 100-milers to conquer the distance. The loop course through the George Washington National Forest has some hardcore climbs, including a [...]

It’s a bike shop. It’s a bar. It’s a bike shop with a bar. The Pisgah Tavern is a new bar near Brevard, N.C. that’s located inside Hub Bicycles. The tavern serves a rotating assortment of local beers on draft as well as $1.50 PBR cans at a hand-carved bar located on the edge of [...]

Team running relays on the rise Blue Ridge Relay September 17-18 • Mouth of Wilson, Va. In 24 hours, teams of 4 to 12 cover 208 miles from Virginia’s Grayson Highlands State Park down through the North Carolina High Country to Asheville, with 16 transition legs and 27,000 feet of elevation change. blueridgerelay.com Bourbon Chase [...]

Between the paper cups, food scraps, and swag bags full of useless crap, races don’t tread so lightly on the planet. But Keith Peters, author of The Road Race Management Guide to Greener Running Events, is starting to change that.

From wild whitewater races to flatwater floats, here’s a rundown of the region’s best paddling fests. Harpers Ferry Outdoor Festival June 19 • Harpers Ferry, W.Va. Paddlers meet at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers for a full-day festival with live music, good eats, and plenty of water action. Comps include the Harpers [...]

Top Endurance Mountain Bike Races Looking to break into endurance mountain biking but not quite ready for the full monty of 24 hours? Check out one of these shorter regional options that will give you a proper taste of dirt and distance. 9 Hours of Cranky Monkey May 15 * Flintstone, Md. This new nine-hour [...]

Toughest Cycling Climbs in the Southeast John Summerson likes the sadistic side of cycling—climbing. During his free time, the exercise physiologist at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston Salem, N.C., hops on his steely steed and cranks up the steepest ascents in the South. He just released a Southern-specific version of his book [...]

Regional Running Series This year, instead of running one race, try completing a whole series. THE BEAST • CENTRAL VA If you can complete The Beast you are a special breed of ultrarunner. With no distance shorter than 50K, the series features six epic races in the most rugged and remote portions of the Virginia [...]

Ski season in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic doesn’t get good until February, which is traditionally the snowiest month for our area resorts. Yet  very few people hit the resorts during late season to enjoy it.  “As soon as it gets warmer in D.C. or Richmond, people stop thinking about skiing,” says Laura Parquette, communications manager [...]

Beat the Off-Season Slump with Cyclocross It’s been called the most fun you can have on two wheels—that is when you actually get to stay on your bike. Every winter a growing number of road cyclists and mountain bikers are trying cyclocross—lung-busting short track races that include fast sprints on a mix of terrain and [...]

November is the best time to hike in the Appalachians. The fair-weather foliage tourists have gone home, but the temperatures are still relatively mild, making it just the right time to cover a lot of miles in the mountains. Here’s a rundown of quintessential hikes being offered in the region. CUMBERLAND FALLS STATE PARK, KY. [...]

Paranormal Mountain Bike Race Charlottesville, Va. • October 17 This six-hour endurance race, which starts in the late afternoon and moves into the dark autumn evening, has become a must-do in the Central Virginia MTB scene. After the closing of the popular Panorama Farm trails, the event moved to Tevendale Farm, which is filled with [...]

Pumped by this summer’s coverage of the  Tour de France? Pedal one of these celebrated road tours for your own taste of two-wheeled adventure. SHENANDOAH VALLEY CENTURY Harrisonburg, Va. Sept. 13. A rolling 100 miles through the small towns and farmland that make the Shenandoah Valley so picturesque. Scenic vistas of the surrounding peaks are [...]

NEW RIVER RENDEZVOUS Fayetteville, W.Va., May 14-16 This annual climbers’ fest raises funds for the New River Alliance, the group that protects climbing access in the New River Gorge. In ‘09, the fest raised money to re-vegetate two popular crags: The Bridge and Junkyard. Climbing comps, clinics, guided climbs…oh, and tug of war, sumo wrestling, [...]

Back to the Chattahoochee Race June 13, Atlanta, Ga. Canoes, kayaks, floats, and rafts paddle a portion of the ‘Hooch north of Atlanta to raise awareness for water quality issues plaguing this urban gem. Competitive boaters tackle a 10-mile course, and an eight-mile course is set for those interested only in having a good time. [...]