A roundup of the region’s top outdoor events.

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 Blue Ridge. The [...]

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 a [...]

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.
Nov. 7  [...]

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 much of [...]

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 frequent, and [...]

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, and dance [...]

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. Prizes are [...]

Pack a summer’s worth of adventure into a short time with these races.