Apple Festival 8k – August 31, 2013 – Hendersonville, NC

This race is a staple on the Western North Carolina racing scene and is part of the Asheville Track Club’s Grand Prix Series. I think I’ve run this race seven times and I’ve always considered this one of the most pleasant race courses in the area. It’s a diverse tour of mature Hendersonville neighborhoods, with the hills we all expect from a WNC race (but no “killer” hills). There’s a pass through a cemetery, a spin around a pond, plenty of shade and a downhill to flat finish. What more can you ask for?

FROM THE RACE ORGANIZERS

The Henderson County Chamber of Commerce presents the Pardee Apple Festival 8k Road Race on Saturday, August 31st. This certified course winds through scenic Hendersonville and Laurel Park, starting and ending at the Pardee Medical Office Building, on the hospital’s main campus in Hendersonville. The race begins promptly at 8 am. The Chick-Fil-A Mini Moo Mile is a one-mile fun run/walk for the young or young at heart and will start a few minutes after the 8k race begins.

Online registration for both events is now open. The entry fee for the 8K race is $30, if registered on or before August 28th, or $35 on the day of the race. The first 250 to register will receive a free t-shirt. The entry fee for the 1-mile event is $10. Race-day registration for both events starts at 6:30 am. All fun run participants receive a finish award and awards for the 8K race will be given to the overall male and female, masters, and top three finishers in the standard age groups.

“We are using this certified 8K course for the ninth consecutive year and the runners always give a great response to it,” said Ellen Seagle, co-chair of this year’s event. “This race has become part of the Apple Festival tradition for many and we have runners from all over the South who come each year to participate. The two events make this something that all ages and all levels of running ability can participate in.”

THE COURSE

REGISTRATION AND OTHER STUFF

Online registration is available at Active.com. For more information, visit the race website and the race Facebook page.