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West Virginia > Run To Read Half Marathon
Fairmont, WV
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Date
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Event
Details
Run as a benefit for the local nonprofit organization Literacy
Volunteers of Marion County, the Run To Read Half Marathon takes the
nearly 200 runners who show up each year along the winding
trails of Prickett's Fort State Park, which lies just a few miles away
from nearby Fairmont at the confluence of the Monongahela River and
Prickett's Creek. Made up of a combination of blacktop roads and
crushed limestone trail along the river, the course offers ample
scenery along with mostly flat terrain.
Though it's a smaller event, the race draws participants from every age
group. At the 2008 running of the race, which with temperatures in the
40s was called "ideal for running," even with snow and ice on the
ground in spots, the oldest runner crossing the finish line was 78
while the youngest was 13. In a nod to the weather conditions to allow
some sun to peek through the clouds and warm things up a bit, the race
started at 12 noon.
Runners start the race near the Pickett's Fort Visitor Center, a
reconstructed monument to the historic fort that once served as a
refuge for colonial Virginians from the Native American Indians in the
1770s. From there, participants traverse the first 4.2 miles of the
course in an out-and-back run along blacktop surface to the Fairmont
Trail Head, turning around there back toward the visitors center, where
they pick up the Monongahela River Trail for the rest of the race.
It's along the river portion of the course that the scenery is at its
best, lined with trees and wintry precipitation on the ground on one
side and the rushing waters of the river on the other. This is
definitely a race you'll want to dress warmly for, though many runners
brave the cold in shorts and t-shirts. There are five water stops
located along the course, and registration is available on the day of
the race at the visitors center.
Race
Weather & Climate
Set in the mountainous areas of northeastern West Virginia, about 20
miles southwest of Morgantown, the town of Fairmont tends to see often
very cold weather conditions in the winter, with relatively plentiful
precipitation (including snow, sleet and rain). In January, average
monthly temperatures range between 38°F and 20°F, while
precipitation amounts average around 3.45 inches for the month.
Fees
$20 if registered by January 5, 2009
$25 after January 5
Registration
To reserve your spot in the 2009 running of the Run to Read Half
Marathon, register online at SignMeUp.com
or print out and mail in this downloadable entry form.
Websites
www.runningintheusa.com/r2rhm
Literacy Volunteers of Marion County
View photos
from the 2008 race
Course Map
View
Larger Map
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Your Race Story
Ever run in Fairmont's annual Run to Read Half Marathon?
Share
your
impressions and read fellow runners' stories and tips for the event.
Discuss it in the HalfMarathons.Net
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