Biltmore Estate 15k/5k – Asheville, North Carolina – May 21, 2006

The Biltmore 15k (and 5k) is run entirely on the Biltmore Estate Grounds.  If you’re not from Asheville and/or are not familiar with the Biltmore Estate, it was the summer home of George Vanderbilt and was built in the late 1800s.  Today it’s America’s largest private home with something in the neighborhood of 250 rooms in the home and a few thousand acres on the grounds.

The race is a great way to see the grounds.  It’s on a Sunday morning (fewer people demanding to visit the grounds on Sunday morning is my guess).  The 15k and 5k start together.  Nice turnout.  After less than a mile the two races reach a fork in the road (one poor soul missed his 5k turn and was running with the 15k; I noticed and redirected him).  It’s just a nice wandering race along the many different looks of the Biltmore Estate.  Perhaps the most impressive moment is when you run right up to the house itself and past the enormous front doors.