Snowy Owl 10 Mile info

Race Information

This is a trail race and will be on a combination of trails in beautiful York River State Park. Five miles of the course will be technical single track. About 1 mile on the road and the rest will be on dirt fire road trails. The course will feature rocky sections, twisting single track, a boardwalk with beautiful views and fast fire roads. The elevation gain on the course is about 600 feet, some of the rolling terrain will be quite challenging!
This race benefits AWARE (Alliance of Wild Animal Rehabilitators and Educators). Individuals from AWARE will be onsite with owls and fun educational information! (similar to my summer Night Owl race) https://awarewildanimals.com/

Packet pick up is race morning only starting at 7:30am. The start time will be 9am and plan for cold temperatures!

There will be 3 aid stations on the course with water and light snacks, like gels and fruit. Hot coffee, cocoa and yummy snacks will be available at the finish while supplies last. Long sleeved T-shirts and hats are available for purchase separately and the deadline to order is December 14, 2027. I will have extra available after this date, but T-shirt sizes will be limited.

The course terrain breakdown is as follows:
0-1.5 mile Fire road dirt trail (Woodstock Pond/Backbone)
1.5-3.5 mile Single track trail (Marl Ravine)
3.5-4.5 mile Fire road dirt trail (Backbone/Powhatan Forks East)
4.5-6 mile Single track trail (John Blair Trail C)
6-7.5 mile Fire road dirt trail (Majestic Oak)
7.5-8.5 mile Single track trail (John Blair Trail A)
8.5-9.25 Fire road dirt trail (Pamunkey/Backbone)
9.25-10 mile Paved down hill (Entry Road to Finish at playground picnic shelter)

This event will have a 4 hour cutoff! This generous cutoff allows for a hiking option. Please email me if you have any questions: ultraellen@gmail.com

NEW THIS YEAR!

This year, the Snowy Owl 10 mile will be a "no frills" event. The goal is to be inclusive, rather than competitive. This new twist allows me to keep entry fees low, but still offer a great, memorable event!

What we will still have in 2027:
Official results including overall and age groups posted on Ultrasignup
Finisher Medal
PR Awards*
Free parking
Aid stations
A well marked course!

What is not included this year?
HATS & T-SHIRTS- These must be added at checkout if you want them!
Overall and Age Group awards
Lunch at the finish, we will just have light food/snacks

*If you beat your previous time on the course (half marathon version) you receive a special PR coaster award!

FAQ:
Do I have to hike? I would prefer to run.
NO! You are competing as much or as little as you want. You are also competing with yourself! It is a tough race and just finishing is a victory. If you are speedy and you want to challenge yourself- go for it!

Why are you doing this race as "no frills"?
Costs continue to rise. I want to keep events affordable. Not everyone wants a T-shirt/hat- it is a personal choice.

Will everyone get a finisher medal?
I will have finisher medals available. If you prefer not to grab one, you can skip it!

Can I buy a T-shirt or a hat on race day?
Not necessarily. These will be limited, but I will have some previous year's T-shirts/hats for sale. The T-shirt deadline is December 14th and after this date I will put inventory on the registration page and when they are gone they are gone! T-shirts will be unisex sizes only/long sleeved. Hats will be while supplies last. I will have 150 and after that I will dip into previous year’s hats.

Weather plan! Please read before registering

Weather plan! Please read before registering
When registering please note, if there is dangerous weather forecasted for the event, the race will be moved to Sunday, Jan. 10th. There are no refunds or deferrals to the following year if the date is moved. I will give as much notice as possible. Please take this into consideration when registering. I consider "dangerous weather" to be weather that makes it dangerous for participants to get to the race from out of town. Over 50% of racers typically travel one hour +. Although it would be fun to actually run/hike in the snow, it would likely cause the race to be moved due to the road conditions for participants. Again- please understand this policy before registering!

Aid Station Mileage

Aid Station MARL RAVINE (AS #1) Backbone (1.5 mile, 9 mile)
Aid Station RIVERVIEW- (AS #2) (end of Backbone trail at Riverview Road) (3.5 mile)
Aid Station MAJESTIC OAK (AS #3)- (exit to John Blair C on Majestic Oak) (6 mile)

Event's current local time: 7:11 AM ET