A guide to sports and fitness events across the state during Spring-Summer 2014
March 29
Black-tie Bowling
Chesapeake
Dress to the nines (or the 4.5s) and join the Young Adults for Alzheimer’s Awareness in an evening of bowling for a cure. Waist up, bowlers wear black-tie; from the hips to bowling shoes, anything goes. A $55 registration fee buys unlimited bowling and shoe rental, plus a chance to win door prizes and bid in a silent auction. AMF Chesapeake Lanes. Act.Alz.Org
April 6
Chasing Chicken Triathlon
Richmond
Catch a chicken and support Fetch-A-Cure. Contestants compete against a celebrity racer in a chicken suit in a reverse triathlon—5K run, 13-mile bike ride, 300-meter swim. 1st place wins $300, 2nd place takes home $200 and 3rd earns $100. Bring your A-game to win Best Hair, Best Mustache or Sexiest Legs. Individual and team fees vary; each participant receives commemorative beach towel. Tuckahoe YMCA–women and chicken first. RichmondMultisports.com
April 12
Bristol Half and Half
Bristol
Race across two states–Virginia and Tennessee–in the Bristol Half and Half. This individual and two-person relay half marathon benefits the American Cancer Society. A Cancer Survivor Recognition precedes the race, which starts at Virginia High School and ends with a celebration at the Stone Castle at Tennessee High. Medals to all finishers and plaques to top relay teams. Individual and team fees vary. WeRunEvents.com/Bristol-Half-Half
April 13
Prison Break Dash
Lorton
Jump on the jackrabbit parole for the Prison Break Dash 1K, 5K, or 10K at the historic Old Lorton Workhouse Correctional Facilities. Racers break at 9 a.m. from the prison and flee through grounds to escape to the finish line—but not without a mug shot! Awards are given to the quickest and the best in costume. Free food, pictures, T-shirt and bag included. Fees vary. PrisonBreakDash.com
April 26
Shenandoah Aqua-blaze Trail
Bentonville
No walk in a park, this race starts with a 12-mile canoe paddle on the Shenandoah River finishing with a 12-mile foot-race through the George Washington National Forest. No paddle, no problem. Just show up with shoes, water and a snack at the Downriver Canoe Company for a fun, relaxing trek, followed by an after-race BBQ meal. Soloists or two-person teams, $120 per person. Rev3Adventure.com
May 12
Stoney Creek Golf Tournament
Nellysford
Hit the greens and support the Nelson County Habitat for Humanity. Register with your four-player team or come solo. The 9-hole tournament will be Captain’s Choice, $80 per player. The 18-hole flight has a shotgun start and Captain’s Choice with box lunch included, $125 per player. Cocktails and dinner, with Hole-in-One prizes ranging from $5,000 to a car from O’Baugh Chevrolet. NelsonHabitat.org
May 18
Storming of Thunder Ridge
Lynchburg
Don’t be fooled by the food, music, massages and hot tub offered by the Storming of Thunder Ridge road cycling event, this is a seriously tough course. Be prepared to bike 27, 45, 75 or 100 miles through the Blue Ridge Mountains before dipping your toes in the pool at the post-ride celebration benefitting the YMCA of Central Virginia’s Community Support Campaign. $50. StormingofThunderRidge.org
May 25
Tuff Strutter 5K
Martinsville
Go for a rugged trail run and then take in some tunes at the 6th annual Rooster Walk, a weekend-long music and art festival (May 22-25) being held at Blue Mountain Festival Grounds. Tuff Strutter registration ($25 advance, $30 day of race) includes a festival ticket to hear the bands playing on Sunday, a commemorative Klean Kanteen steel pint cup, and post-race food. RoosterWalk.com
