Race #481 -- Jackson River Scenic Trail Run 10k -- Covington, VA -- 06/27/20

Unfortunately my Garmin watch didn't cooperate so I have very limited data for this race. The event consists of a marathon, half marathon, 10k, and 5k, and I chose to run the 10k, which was maybe the smallest race in the bunch with only 36 finishers. I was already feeling the ravages of the Covid-19 outbreak, and although I didn't have the disease itself it had affected my overall running and fitness. I was on my way to gaining an additional 20 pounds over the already 10 pounds above my ideal running weight that I had been halfway trying to lose.

Some folks commented to me that 56:41 was a pretty good time for a trail race, but really the course was almost flat and very easy to run on, and just a few months earlier I should have been closer to 50 minutes flat, give or take.


The race setting and course is truly beautiful, and although I didn't run all that great I did enjoy it and hope I can go back. I've already asked the warden my wife if we could go back this year and it's looking like a return trip could be in order. I'd probably run the 10k again to get a comparison of how I'm doing a year later and how much I've lost partly due to the pandemic and partly to being a year older. I'll be 69 for the 2021 race and I'm finding that each year once you hit your 60s makes quite a difference.

Coming across the finish line I was actually happier than my face would indicate, but I wasn't thrilled with my time or my barking knees.

Covington is about 250 miles from home and I wouldn't ordinarily travel that far for a race, but in June of 2020 there were almost no in-person races so it was a nice getaway for a couple days. There was also the fact that we had bought a nice little Class B Roadtrek camper van a couple months earlier and I was itching to take it on the road. We camped about 20 miles away from the race start at the beautiful Douthat State Park.

This is our camper van that I'm planning on using to travel to races in the upcoming year. It's only 21.5 feet long but is fully self-contained with a bathroom, shower, kitchen with 2-burner stove as well as microwave and sink and refrigerator, a queen size bed, and living room (if you use your imagination a bit) with TV and DVD player. I love it but my wife is still in the process of trying to appreciate it as much as I do.


Click Here for Race Website

Click Here for Race Results on Athlinks


My Stats:

  • Time:  56:41
  • Pace:  9:08
  • Age Group (60-69):  1 of 3
  • Overall:  10 of 36
  • Age Grade Percentage:  63.33%  



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