Trexler Nature Preserve

StPats5k2012

Valley News – March 20

Congratulations to all of Sunday’s racers who participated in the 4th annual St. Pat’s 5k! Race director, Michael Drabenstott, surprised the runners with these personalized race bibs, adding the O’ to their last names. So clever! John Hofmann has photos of the race on his Flickr photo site.

Camp Olympic Cleanup Day
Join Budd Coates this Saturday in an effort to help build the new cross country trails at Camp Olympic in Emmaus. Destined to become the area’s premier x-country course, help is needed to clear stones and brush from the trails prior to the seeding process. More information can be found in this article posted last Thursday. After the cleanup there will be a run on the trails so bring along your running shoes, too!

Run The Stairs
I hear this group keeps growing and growing. Everyone is welcome to join in the fun. Meet on Saturday morning at 9:00 am on the corner of S 10th Street and Martin Luther King Blvd in Allentown for a great workout which includes running the stairs.

Photo Exhibit: Tarahumara
Most of you are familiar with the Tarahumara, made famous by Chris McDougall and his book, Born To Run. Photographer Diana Molina has captured beautiful images of these people and will have them on display at the University of Pennsylvania’s Penn Museum. The Run! Super-Athletes of the Sierra Madre exhibit will run from March 31 through September 30.

Chris McDougall Talk
As part of the Run! Super-Athletes of the Sierra Madre exhibit at  U Penn Museum, Chris McDougall will give a talk on Wednesday, April 11 at 6;00 pm. The public talk and book-signing will take place at the Museum’s Annual Petersen Lecture Hall. Admission is $5, free for museum members.

New 5k on the calendar for March 31
The Doug Williams Memorial 5k is a new 5k race here in the Lehigh Valley. It will take place on Saturday, March 31 in Lehigh Parkway

T-rex Trail Run
It’s that time again! Add a new element to your training routine and join the crew at Trexler Nature Preserve for a run around the preserve. The next group run takes place on Saturday, April 14 at 7:30 am. Visit the T-rex FB page for details and to rsvp so they know to wait for you. (PS – This is a perfect opportunity for those of you planning to run this year’s Quadzilla 15k!)

News & Events  Posted by 20 Mar 2012 / 1 comments
2012QZ

Quadzilla 15K Trail Race Registration Opens

2nd annual race highlights Lehigh Valley‘s hidden gems

Schnecksville,PA- The second annual Quadzilla 15k trail race will return to Trexler Nature Preserve onSunday, July 15, 2012, starting at7:30 a.m.The race brings runners from around the country to the doorstep of two of our areas most beautiful local resources, Trexler Nature Preserve and Lehigh Valley Zoo.

The Quadzilla 15k was named “Favorite Local Trail Race” in the 2011 Runner’s Choice Awards hosted by Lehigh Valley Running Scene. In 2011 Quadzilla 15k finishers participated in a nation-wide running survey conducted by Corona Insights. Quadzilla 15k ranked in the 100th percentile in many of the categories compared to several other endurance events held throughout the country in 2011. Quadzilla 15k was also featured in the January 2012 issue of Trail Runner Magazine event calendar.

Online registration is available at quadzilla15k.com for $35 now through April 30 and $40 until registration closes on June 30. No race day registration is available but runners can sign up last minute if spaces are still available at bib pickup on June 14. The race will be capped at 400 participants and runners are encouraged to register early. Runners can pick up their race bibs at Trexler Environmental Center, the county’s first “green” building, on Saturday, July 14 between12:30-3:00 p.m.

Race amenities include post race food and hydration, a technical race shirt, portable toilets, bib and packet pickup, one free entry to the Lehigh Valley Zoo and three aid stations along the 9.3 mile race course. Awards will be given to the top three overall male and female winners as well as the top three male and female finishers in ten year age groups.

 

At the Races  Posted by 01 Mar 2012 / 2 comments

Valley News – July 5

I hope you all had a great long weekend, celebrating Independence Day with family and friends. Congratulations to all of those who raced over the weekend! I know we have some folks who were in Lake Placid over the weekend competing in the Ironman competition. For those of you unfamiliar with Ironman competitions, it’s a triathlon which consists of a 2.4 mile swim / 112 mile bike / 26.2 mile run and is the second oldest Ironman in North America. Word is some of you were out training on the Quadzilla course, a challenging trail race to be held at Trexler Nature Preserve in less than two weeks.

TRAIL RUN
Those of you who are signed up for Quadzilla and looking to sneak in one last run on the course before the race, here’s your chance! The T-rex crew will be meeting next Saturday morning at 7:30 am at the Trexler Environmental Center for a group run around the preserve. They will run the 8.5 mile Border Trail. All paces welcome, bring water and bug spray! Visit the Facebook page for more details.

RUNNER’S YOGA
Tomorrow is the start of The Yoga Loft’s second Runner’s Yoga session. Meet at The Yoga Loft at 7:30 am and head out for a 30 minute run followed by a 45 minute yoga class. Classes meet twice a week – Wednesdays and Fridays – from July 6-29.  Visit http://theyogaloftofbethlehem.com for more details.

LVRR SUMMER SERIES 5K
Tomorrow night is the third of four 5ks in the Lehigh Valley Road Runner’s Summer Series. The race is FREE but you must still sign a waiver of release and wear a bib. The race begins at 6:30 pm at the LVRR Clubhouse located in Lehigh Parkway. Stick around after the race for hot dogs on the grill. This is a fantastic family night out, folks bring a covered dish and picnic after the race. http://lvrr.org

ULTRA RUNNING
Four years ago, the Viaduct Trail Ultramarathon had two finishers. The course was 68.63 miles long. The following years 19 runners finished a 50 mile race and 3 runners ran 100 miles. The event has a field limit of 30 runners and in 2011 a new event has been added: 200 mile race!  From what I can tell on the website, they have eliminated the 50 mile race. What’s more, the race costs nothing to enter. That’s right. Nothing. The 200 mile race begins this Thursday morning at 6:00 am and the 100 mile race begins Saturday morning. All runners are self-sufficient in that they must provide their own supplies.

FAMILY HIKES
The second LVRR sponsored Family Hike will take place at Upper Saucon Park this week. Hikes are held each Thursday at 1:00 pm throughout the summer. Locations vary so please check the club’s website for meeting spots, directions and to RSVP. Children who attend 6 of the 9 planned hikes will receive a special gift at the end of the summer. These hikes are free. http://lvrr.org/events/family-hikes/

RUNNING MOVIE
If you haven’t seen the film Without Limits about Steve Prefontaine yet, then put this on your calendar. Aardvark Sports Shop is sponsoring the film as part of Bethlehem’s Movies By Moonlight series. The film will show on Thursday, July 21st at the Sun Inn Courtyard, beginning at approximately 8:45 pm. This is a fantastic film about one of the most amazing runners (and my running idol) to come out of the United States. His career was cut short when he died in a car accident at the age of 24.

WEEKEND RACES
Steps 4 Stellar – 5k race at Cedar Beach, Allentown. 9:00 am this Saturday. Flat, fast race; t-shirts to all preregistrants; refreshments, toilets, food. Rain or shine. Race held in memory of Debbie Stellar and all women who have lost their battle to cancer. http://www.steps4stellar.com/index.php

LVRR Kids Summer Series – Saturday, 10:00 am. Free running event for children ages 3-14 sponsored by Lehigh Valley Road Runners. Kids run in groups according to age and distances are age appropriate. Visit website for more details. http://lvrr.org/events/kids-summer-series/

News & Events  Posted by 05 Jul 2011 / 0 comments
pennypack

Valley News – June 6

Recovery Pump Seminar and Demonstration
Doug Weatherby of Recovery Pump will give a presentation of the Recovery Pump endurance athlete recovery system. He will include the science behind the system as well as the benefits it provides. There will be plenty of demo units on hand, so come out and check it out! www.recoverypump.com. https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=132317590177678

How about something different?
Head over to the Valley Preferred Cycling Center in Trexlertown tonight to watch the Fuji Bicycles Pro-Am. Races begin at 7:30 pm and admission is FREE on Tuesdays. The Breakaway Cafe opens at 6pm. http://www.thevelodrome.com/

Speaking of the Velodrome, check out today’s Groupon deal:

This Week’s Group Runs
Tonight:
Finish Line Group Run starting and ending at The Finish Line, Emmaus. Meet the gang at 6:00 pm and head out for an evening run through Emmaus. All paces welcome. Check out The Finish Line Facebook page.

Making Strides, a women’s speedwork group, meets tonight at 5:30 pm in Lehigh Parkway. The run is lead by fearless leader, Ingrid Gerber, and word is she makes up the evening’s workout just before the run begins, so you never know what you’re in for. No worries, it’s always fun and a great way to meet other women.  Making Strides Facebook page.

Tomorrow night:
Bears and Brews Trail Run – Join local runners at Bear Creek Resort for a 5 mile trail run around the resort property. Run starts at 6:30 pm, meet in the upper parking lot off Doe Mt. Road. Microbrew exchange after the run if you are interested in tasting some brews other than your usual. Check their Facebook page for more details.

Saturday:
Join the Breakfast Club Runners at 7:30 am for an easy run with a great group of folks, followed by breakfast (the best part!) Meeting spots vary and are usually announced by Wednesday or Thursday. Check the group’s FB page for details on each Saturday’s run.

T-rex Trail Run at Trexler Nature Preserve. For those of you signed up to run next month’s inaugural Quadzilla 15k, this is your chance to get a preview of the course. The trails are challenging but most of us walk the hills so don’t worry that you’ll be the only one walking them. Meet at 7:30 am at the TNP Environmental Center parking lot off Orchard Rd. Check Facebook page for details and directions.

Sunday:
Appalachain Trail Fat Ass – Dave Decker is at it again! He is bound and determined to make trail converts out of all of us. Two weeks ago we met up to run the trails at Lehigh University, this weekend he’s invited everyone out to run a short section of the AT. The run should be about 11.5 miles long. Check event page for more details.

At The Races
Lots of great stuff this weekend ranging from a 5k walk supporting local health and human services, a 5k run supporting ALS, the Warrior Dash or the Average Joe Triathlon. There is also the Race for the Caring Place – Kids-only Duathlon this Sunday for the little ones. Check out the June event calendar for details, links and more exciting events coming up.

Looking Ahead
There are some great events coming up over the next few weeks. I thought I’d highlight a couple for you to get you thinking about YOUR next challenge.

Hawk Mountain Hill Climb (June 18, 10am) – Not only is this area beautiful and a bird watchers haven, the trails are quite challenging to hike and run. There is a 5k road run/walk and an optional Family Educational Hike on the North Lookout Trail (bring your binoculars.) Proceeds benefit the Sanctuary.

Muddy Bear (June 19, 11am) – Team effort duathlon taking place at Bear Creek Resort. 5 miles of mountain biking, 2 miles of trail running and four obstacles. Teams work together to finish this unique and challenging event.

Half Sauer/Half Kraut (June 26, 7:30 am) – Opt for 13.1 or 26.2 miles in this German-themed trail race, now in it’s second year. Once again you’ll be served and entertained by Heidi and Hans along the way, then celebrate afterwards with a traditional post-race Bavarian tradition, Beer and Brats!

Quadzilla 15k (July 17, 8am) – Challenging and beautiful all at the same time! And how many of you can lay claim to running with buffalo? This race will test the best of you as you run through a local treasure, Trexler Nature Preserve and home to Lehigh Valley Zoo. In fact, included with your race entry you will receive one free entry to the LV Zoo. Course is chock full of a variety of terrains: single track, jeep trails, fields and meadows, hills, and includes a creek crossing, a couple stream crossings and a fast finish. http://quadzilla15k.com

News & Events  Posted by 07 Jun 2011 / 0 comments
TNP Open House

Trexler Nature Preserve Trail Open House

It looks like June 4th is turning out to be a great day to be outdoors. Come on out to the South Mountain Group Trail Run in the morning and then visit the Trexler Nature Preserve Open House in the early afternoon!

Last week I posted an article about National Trails Day®, which takes place on June 4, and the LVRS sponsored group trail run at South Mountain Preserve in Emmaus. The trail run begins at 7:30 am, you can find out more details and RSVP here.

I have been working on spreading the word about the role that Valley Mountain Bikers play in building and maintaining many of our wonderful trails in the area. They meet up periodically for trail maintenance days throughout the area and I’m hoping that we runners, especially those who use the trails, can join them on these days to lend a hand.

On June 4th, 2011 Valley Mountain Bikers is hosting an Open House at Trexler Nature Preserve in Schnecksville, PA. This is an informal event consisting of guided mountain bike rides and hikes on the singletrack trail system under construction in the Preserve’s North Range. The Open House is part of a year-long celebration marking the 100-year anniversary of General Harry Trexler bringing wildlife to the Preserve.

VMB was granted permission from Lehigh County and the Wildland’s Conservancy to design and construct trails in the Preserve’s North Range. Construction began in October 2008. These multi-use singletrack trails are being built for mountain biking, hiking, trail running, and nature walking. As of May 2011 there are over 4 miles of nearly complete trail, with more being planned. To date, over 1,200 hours of volunteer time organized by Valley Mountain Bikers has been invested in this project.

The Open House is a great opportunity for you and your family to experience a new outdoor recreation opportunity right here in the Lehigh Valley. Please stop by any time between 10 am and 3 pm and enjoy the outdoors.

View Trexler Parking Lot in a larger map.

News & Events  Posted by 27 May 2011 / 0 comments
valleynews

Valley News – May 24

You got through the Rapture and the case of the Mondays. What’s shaking in the Valley on a Tuesday, you ask?

Stop by The Finish Line Running Store today between 3:00-6:00 pm and check out the Brooks gear! Meet Brooks rep. John Cappiello, bring all of your questions and try to stump this new father as you try on shoes and get ready for the group run to follow. All Brooks purchases are accompanied by a free Brooks gift from John. The Finish Line Group Run begins at 6:00 pm (or thereabouts) with a fun group of Tuesday night runners so be sure to join them!

Ladies – Making Strides is meeting this evening in Lehigh Parkway for your weekly dose of speedwork. Led by Ingrid Gerber and starting at 5:30 pm from the LVRR Clubhouse.

Breaking tradition, last week’s Third Thirsty Thursday 5k was postponed due to rain and will be held this Thursday instead. Same place, same time …

It’s Memorial Day Weekend (I know, did it creep up on you too?) and that means three fun-filled days of racing! Starting on Saturday, there are three great local 5k races to choose from.

Bethlehem – Miles for Coco 5k
Bethlehem – Together for Derek 5k
Allentown – Mayfair 5k

On Sunday you can head over to Plowville to run the Charlie Horse 13.1 trail race.

Monday brings picnics, the Tortoise & Hare 5k in Wind Gap, which I’m told is a great family affair, and the Jim Thorpe 10k.

(If you are new to the Valley, I would strongly encourage you to visit Jim Thorpe at some point. It’s a quaint mountain town, nice restaurants, an active outdoor scene, and has been referred to as the Switzerland of America, as well as the Gateway to the Poconos.)

Check out the June event calendar. It’s packed with so many great activities!

Coming Up:

Recovery Pump, an endurance athlete recovery device, will have an informational seminar and demonstration at Seidersville Hall in Bethlehem (3700 Old Philadelphia Pike) on June 7 at 7pm.  More info is available at www.recoverypump.com.

National Trails Day, June 4 - Celebrate with a group trail run at South Mountain Preserve (Emmaus, 7:30 am) hosted by yours truly, followed by a Trail Open House at Trexler Nature Preserve (10:00-3:00) hosted by the Valley Mountain Bikers.

Quadzilla 15k trail race is filling up! If you plan to enter and would like a race shirt, register before June 5. All registrants after that date will receive tech hats. This is going to be a great race. Not only will you have an awesome adventure, see amazing scenery, run past buffalo and get the chance to cool off in a creek, you will also receive a complimentary pass to the Lehigh Valley Zoo. http://quadzilla15k.com

News & Events  Posted by 24 May 2011 / 0 comments