Coast

What the heck, it’s flat: why not do a half marathon — or a full! — at the coast this weekend?

The Quintiles Wrightsville Beach Marathon has become a big event, in part, we gather, because it is a flat course. Also, if you aren’t ready for the big runs, this race offers options: there’s the marathon relay, a 5K and a 1-mile run as well. And according to the forecast, there’s good incentive to run fast: the chance of rain hits about 50 percent by noon.

Logistics: Sunday, March 22, 6:35 a.m., Wrightsville Beach. $17.50 – $100.70. More info here.

Sunday forecast: High of 62, rain developing throughout the day.

Piedmont

It’s a Haiku Hike
Reedy Creek is putting on
C’mon, sounds like fun

Logistics: Saturday, 2 p.m., Reedy Creek Nature Center, Charlotte. $2. More info and to register: 704.432.6460.

Saturday forecast: High of 73, sunny.

Mountains

Warming temperatures mean it’s time to Get in Gear in Asheville — at a festival of the same name this Saturday at RiverLink Park in the River Arts District. There’ll be a lot going on, including product demos, gear clinics, beer from local breweries, raffles and, writes the Asheville Citizen-Times, “the opportunity to try out things you might never have done before, from a sling shot range to a pump track to a ‘squeeze box.’” A portion of proceeds from beer sales benefit RiverLink, a nonprofit that works to revitalize the French Broad River.

Logistics: Saturday, March 21, noon-4 p.m., RiverLink Park, Asheville. More info in this Citizen-Times article.

Saturday forecast: High of 70, mostly sunny.

* * *

Those are our thoughts on the weekend. Find more options at the sources listed below.

The post This weekend: a run, a poetic hike, a festival of fun appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Coast

Distance runners, sprinters, fun runners — Saturday’s 4th Annual Quintiles Wrightsville Beach Marathon has ‘em all covered: full and half marathons, marathon relay, 5K, 1-mile fun run for kids. Racing starts on Wrightsville Beach, then, depending how far you’re going, heads into the nearby The Landfall Community (perhaps you’ve seen the walls and gates surrounding it on the drive to Wrightsville Beach).

Logistics: Saturday, March 16. Fees range from $35 to $55, more information here.

Saturday forecast: Partly cloudy, high of 73.

Piedmont

What could be more aptly named as warm weather and waters return than Saturday’s Welcome Back Spring Paddle at Jordan Lake State Recreation Area? Saturday’s adventure finds Ranger Steve McMurray leading a two-hour paddle of the Beaver Creek area, putting in at the Ebenezer Boat Ramp.

Logistics: Saturday, March 16, 1-3 p.m. Equipment provided (feel free to bring your own if you have it). Free, but reservations required: 919.362.0586, ext 219 or steve.mcmurray@ncparks.gov

Saturday forecast: Partly cloudy, high of 69.

Mountains

Love getting in on an inaugural race? Especially one sponsored by a brewery? Then check out Sunday’s Oskar Blues 4-mile Road Race in Brevard. Your host: Oskar Blues Brewery. And there’s a fun run for the kids.

Logistics: Sunday, March 19, 9 a.m., in Brevard. $25, $30 race day (includes T-shirt). More info here.

Sunday forecast: 66, “a few showers likely.”

* * *

Coast

CapeFearCoast.com
Comprehensive calendar for the Cape Fear/Wilmington/southern N.C. coast searchable by date and event name.

Coastal Guide
Comprehensive calendar including nature programs from a variety of costal conservation and research agencies that offer nature programs. Covers the entire coast.

Crystal Cost Tourism Authority
Comprehensive calendar focusing on the Crystal Coast. Good source for programs offered by N.C. Coastal Federation, Cape Lookout National Park, N.C. National Estuarine Research Reserve and other costal conservation and research agencies that offer nature programs.

NCCoast.com
Comprehensive calendar including programs for the Outer Banks and Crystal Coast.

North Carolina Coast Host
Comprehensive calendar for the entire coast that lets you search for events by day, by region, by county, by city or by event (based on key word).

This Week Magazine
Primary focus is the Crystal Coast (North Carolina’s coastal midsection).

Mountains

Asheville Citizen-Times
From the main page, click on “Outdoors,” then WNC Outdoors calendar.

Blue Ridge Outdoors
Searchable calendar lets you extend your reach to events throughout the mid-Atlantic and Southeast (or you can just limit it to North Carolina). Also lets you search a boatload of categories, ranging from Hiking, Mountain Biking and Climbing to Trail Running, Triathlon and Road Walking.

The Mountain Times
From the main page, click on “Calendars,” then Main Events.

Todd’s Calendar

Piedmont

Charlotte

Charlotte Observer events calendar
Comprehensive calendar searchable by category, including Nature, Recreation, Recreation & Wellness, Running

Charlotte Parent
Comprehensive calendar concentrating on things the family can do together.

Triad

GoTriad.com
Comprehensive calendar includes a Sports & Recreation category.

Piedmont Parent
Comprehensive calendar concentrating on things the family can do together.

Triangle

Triangle.com
Comprehensive calendar searchable by category, including: Birding, Boating, Cycling, Nature, Rec & Wellness, Recreation, Running, Swimming, Tennis, Yoga.

Carolina Parent
Comprehensive calendar concentrating on things the family can do together.

Statewide

Office of Environmental Education
One calendar for the numerous Environmental Education Centers statewide.

North Carolina State Parks
Lets you search for programs at the state’s parks, recreation areas and natural areas by location, by month, by topic. To reach the calendar from the home page, click on “Education,” then “Fun & Free Programs at Parks.”

National Forests in North Carolina
From the home page, click on Carolina Connections for news updates on the state’s four national forests as well as hints on recreational opportunities and a detailed rundown of recreation areas and the amenities at each.

U.S. National Wildlife Refuges
Rundown, by month, of regular activities at the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service refuges in North Carolina.

* * *
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GetGoingNC.com

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The post This weekend: Keep running, start paddling appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Coast

When I was in high school I had a part-time job on the old Lowry Air Force Base in Denver. I took the job, in part, so I could get inside the inner sanctum of a military installation just to see what it was like. It wasn’t as exciting as I expected; In fact, the only significant difference between it and the outside world was that it was a whole lot cleaner. Still, it was cool being allowed in this land forbidden to mere civilians.

That’s part of the motivation to run this Saturday’s MCAS Cherry Point 13th Annual Half Marathon. The race is open to the public, is flat (another incentive) and “will take runners through a combination of residential neighborhoods as well as many scenic routes aboard MCAS Cherry Point.” If you’ve ever driven past the gate at Cherry Point and wondered what goes on inside, here’s your chance. And maybe it won’t be all that exciting. But at least it’s flat.

Logistics: Check-in is from 6-7 a.m., race starts at 7:30 a.m. $50 for non-military. More info, call Berna Crosby at 252.466.2208 or visit here.

Weekend forecast: High of 79, partly cloudy.

Piedmont

Oh, yeah, it’s spring! (It commenced at 1:14 a.m. Tuesday, in case you missed it.) Among the enticing spring programs this first weekend of the season is Saturday’s Signs of Spring Family Hike at the North Carolina Botanical Garden in Chapel Hill. “Who’s singing in the vernal pools?” asks the Garden, presumably through a human interpreter. “What’s blooming up from beneath the fallen leaves? Celebrate the Spring Equinox exploring the gardens and trails for signs that the natural world is waking from its winter slumber.” A great place to welcome spring.

Logistics: The program is from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Saturday. $15 per family ($10 if you belong to the Botanical Garden); “parents/caregivers must remain with their child at all times.” More info by calling 919.962.0522 or visiting here.

Weekend forecast: High of 75, 70 percent chance of rain.

Mountains

DuPont State Forest in the Brevard area has close to 100 miles of trail; knowing where to go can be a challenge. That’s one of the advantages to Saturday’s DuPont 12K Trail Run, which starts and ends at Guion Farm on Sky Valley Road, and follows what promises to be a scenic and challenging 7.4-mile route. Race begins at 10 a.m.

Logistics: Entry fee is $30, online here or in person at the sponsoring Jus Running in Asheville. Race begins at 10 a.m.

Weekend forecast: High of 68 with fog early and a 20 percent chance of rain.

* * *

Those are GGNC’s thoughts for an active weekend. Find out other ways you can get out this weekend by browsing our super calendar, a collection of events calendars from throughout the state, below.

Coast

CapeFearCoast.com
Comprehensive calendar for the Cape Fear/Wilmington/southern N.C. coast searchable by date and event name.

Coastal Guide
Comprehensive calendar including nature programs from a variety of costal conservation and research agencies that offer nature programs. Covers the entire coast.

Crystal Cost Tourism Authority
Comprehensive calendar focusing on the Crystal Coast. Good source for programs offered by N.C. Coastal Federation, Cape Lookout National Park, N.C. National Estuarine Research Reserve and other costal conservation and research agencies that offer nature programs.

NCCoast.com
Comprehensive calendar including programs for the Outer Banks and Crystal Coast.

North Carolina Coast Host
Comprehensive calendar for the entire coast that lets you search for events by day, by region, by county, by city or by event (based on key word).

This Week Magazine
Primary focus is the Crystal Coast (North Carolina’s coastal midsection).

Mountains

Asheville Citizen-Times
From the main page, click on “Outdoors,” then WNC Outdoors calendar.

Blue Ridge Outdoors
Searchable calendar lets you extend your reach to events throughout the mid-Atlantic and Southeast (or you can just limit it to North Carolina). Also lets you search a boatload of categories, ranging from Hiking, Mountain Biking and Climbing to Trail Running, Triathlon and Road Walking.

The Mountain Times
From the main page, click on “Calendars,” then Main Events.

Todd’s Calendar

Piedmont

Charlotte

Charlotte Observer events calendar
Comprehensive calendar searchable by category, including Nature, Recreation, Recreation & Wellness, Running

Charlotte Parent
Comprehensive calendar concentrating on things the family can do together.

Triad

GoTriad.com
Comprehensive calendar includes a Sports & Recreation category.

Piedmont Parent
Comprehensive calendar concentrating on things the family can do together.

Triangle

Triangle.com
Comprehensive calendar searchable by category, including: Birding, Boating, Cycling, Nature, Rec & Wellness, Recreation, Running, Swimming, Tennis, Yoga.

Carolina Parent
Comprehensive calendar concentrating on things the family can do together.

Statewide

Office of Environmental Education
One calendar for the numerous Environmental Education Centers statewide.

North Carolina State Parks
Lets you search for programs at the state’s parks, recreation areas and natural areas by location, by month, by topic. To reach the calendar from the home page, click on “Education,” then “Fun & Free Programs at Parks.”

National Forests in North Carolina
From the home page, click on Carolina Connections for news updates on the state’s four national forests as well as hints on recreational opportunities and a detailed rundown of recreation areas and the amenities at each.

* * *

Like us on Facebook and get health, fitness and outdoors news throughout the day.

GetGoingNC.com

Promote Your Page Too

The post This weekend: It’s spring!!! appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

It’s another diverse weekend in North Carolina: Take a preseason plunge into the chilly Atlantic, run up a quartzite monadnock, or spy on your feathered friends (in the name of science).

Coast

Here’s a good opportunity to see just how sturdy your cardio is: The 8th Annual Special Olympics Polar Plunge Saturday at Carolina Beach. Picture yourself at the Le Mans-style start, you in your fetching bathing suit making  a mad dash for the 51.3 degree waters of the Atlantic — all in support of Special Olympics. Related festivities — live entertainment, costume contest, auction, food, drawings for prizes — start at 11 a.m., the plunge takes place during the heat of the day, at 3 p.m. (air temperatures around 60 are forecast).

Logistics: The event is at 3 p.m., at the boardwalk in Carolina Beach, Harper Avenue and Cape Fear Boulevard. More info by calling 910.341.5876 or visiting the Web site.

Weekend forecast: Highs near 60.

Piedmont

It’s the Great Backyard Bird Count across the land, an event of citizen science in which regular folks grab their binos and take note of the bird life in their immediate environs. Spend as little as 15 minutes recording the variety and number of birds you see, then report your findings at the GBBC Web site. You can do it by your lonesome or get together for a group count, such as the one Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Lake Crabtree County Park in Morrisville. Here, you can pick the brains of accomplished birders, learn about the local bird scene and help science detect trends in local bird populations.

Logistics: The count is from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Lake Crabtree County Park, 1400 Aviation Parkway in Morrisville. More info by calling 919.460.3390 or by going here.

Weekend forecast: High of 55 with a 30 percent chance of rain.

Mountains

Technically, yes, Pilot Mountain is in the Piedmont. But it is a mountain, and frankly there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot shaking in an organized sense in the high country this weekend. Hence, we recommend Saturday’s Pilot Mountain Pay Back. Actually, we don’t recommend this for everyone, only those who are prepared to run a half or full marathon on the trails of Pilot Mountain State Park. Never been to Pilot Mountain? The race involves running on natural surface trail up the pinnacle at left, which rises 1,400 feet from the surrounding countryside. Sound appealing? If so, read on.

Logistics: Races start at 8 a.m. $50 for the marathon, $35 for the half, everyone gets armwarmers! More info by calling 336.462.4124 or by visiting the Web site here.

Weekend forecast: High of 50, 20 percent chance of rain.

* * *

Those are GGNC’s thoughts for an active weekend. Find out other ways you can get out this weekend by browsing our super calendar, a collection of events calendars from throughout the state, below.

Coast

CapeFearCoast.com
Comprehensive calendar for the Cape Fear/Wilmington/southern N.C. coast searchable by date and event name.

Coastal Guide
Comprehensive calendar including nature programs from a variety of costal conservation and research agencies that offer nature programs. Covers the entire coast.

Crystal Cost Tourism Authority
Comprehensive calendar focusing on the Crystal Coast. Good source for programs offered by N.C. Coastal Federation, Cape Lookout National Park, N.C. National Estuarine Research Reserve and other costal conservation and research agencies that offer nature programs.

NCCoast.com
Comprehensive calendar including programs for the Outer Banks and Crystal Coast.

North Carolina Coast Host
Comprehensive calendar for the entire coast that lets you search for events by day, by region, by county, by city or by event (based on key word).

This Week Magazine
Primary focus is the Crystal Coast (North Carolina’s coastal midsection).

Mountains

Asheville Citizen-Times
From the main page, click on “Outdoors,” then WNC Outdoors calendar.

Blue Ridge Outdoors
Searchable calendar lets you extend your reach to events throughout the mid-Atlantic and Southeast (or you can just limit it to North Carolina). Also lets you search a boatload of categories, ranging from Hiking, Mountain Biking and Climbing to Trail Running, Triathlon and Road Walking.

The Mountain Times
From the main page, click on “Calendars,” then Main Events.

Todd’s Calendar

Piedmont

Charlotte

Charlotte Observer events calendar
Comprehensive calendar searchable by category, including Nature, Recreation, Recreation & Wellness, Running

Charlotte Parent
Comprehensive calendar concentrating on things the family can do together.

Triad

GoTriad.com
Comprehensive calendar includes a Sports & Recreation category.

Piedmont Parent
Comprehensive calendar concentrating on things the family can do together.

Triangle

Triangle.com
Comprehensive calendar searchable by category, including: Birding, Boating, Cycling, Nature, Rec & Wellness, Recreation, Running, Swimming, Tennis, Yoga.

Carolina Parent
Comprehensive calendar concentrating on things the family can do together.

Statewide

Office of Environmental Education
One calendar for the numerous Environmental Education Centers statewide.

North Carolina State Parks
Lets you search for programs at the state’s parks, recreation areas and natural areas by location, by month, by topic. To reach the calendar from the home page, click on “Education,” then “Fun & Free Programs at Parks.”

National Forests in North Carolina
From the home page, click on Carolina Connections for news updates on the state’s four national forests as well as hints on recreational opportunities and a detailed rundown of recreation areas and the amenities at each.

* * *
Like us on Facebook and get health, fitness and outdoors news throughout the day.

GetGoingNC.com

Promote Your Page Too

The post This weekend: Plunge, scope, run appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

The weekend gets off to and early start (today) with the six-day Wings Over Water at the coast.

Coast

If you’ve ever thought about doing just about any kind of exploring at the coast — from birdwatching to paddling a swamp to howling with (or for) wolves, here’s your chance. The 15-year-old Wings Over Water, a six-day celebration of any thing and any place wild in eastern North Carolina, gets underway today. More than 85 programs explore the wildlife and natural history of the coast. Some by foot, some by boat, some with binos. Truly, just about any natural adventure you’d like to have.

See for yourself at the Wings Over Water website.

Piedmont

Funny, but I don’t recall Andy and Opie lacing up the Asics for a run around the hood. I reckon that was before the running boom hit Mayberry, or perhaps I just missed that episode. But there’s still time to catch — and register for — Saturday’s Mayberry 10K & Half Marathon in Mount Air— er, Mayberry. Some of both routes is on greenway, some passes through “Historic Downtown Mayberry” (which greatly resembles historic downtown Mount Airy). $30 for the 10K, $40 for the 13.1-miler. Races start at 8 a.m., registration at 6:30 a.m.

Here’s hoping they have Aunt Bee’s Nesslerode pie at the finish. Here’s also hoping they don’t have her kerosene cucumbers. More race info here.

Mountains

I’m a sucker for certain hikes in North Carolina and the Ivestor Gap Trail into the Shining Rock Wilderness is one of them. Most of it is above treeline (a “treeline” created by a pair of devastating fires nearly a century ago), it’s above 5,000 feet (and flirts with 6,000 feet) and is scenic high country hiking at its best in North Carolina. That’s probably why the Sierra Club of Western North Carolina has selected it for its Saturday hike. The hike begins at the Black Balsam parking lot off the Blue Ridge Parkway and takes Ivestor Gap Trail to Shining Rock, where there’s good cavorting and scrambling to be done on the exposed white quartzite that gives the peak its name. Total hike distance is 8.6 miles.

The Sierra Club will meet in Asheville at 10 a.m. and carpool to the trailhead. For more information and to sign up (because it enters a Wilderness Area, group size is limited to 10 people), get in touch with hike leader Lisa at lisamcw2@gmail.com or 828.713.4994.

* * *

Those are GGNC’s thoughts for an active weekend. Find out other ways you can get out this weekend by browsing our super calendar, a collection of events calendars from throughout the state, below.

Coast

CapeFearCoast.com
Comprehensive calendar for the Cape Fear/Wilmington/southern N.C. coast searchable by date and event name.

Coastal Guide
Comprehensive calendar including nature programs from a variety of costal conservation and research agencies that offer nature programs. Covers the entire coast.

Crystal Cost Tourism Authority
Comprehensive calendar focusing on the Crystal Coast. Good source for programs offered by N.C. Coastal Federation, Cape Lookout National Park, N.C. National Estuarine Research Reserve and other costal conservation and research agencies that offer nature programs.

NCCoast.com
Comprehensive calendar including programs for the Outer Banks and Crystal Coast.

North Carolina Coast Host
Comprehensive calendar for the entire coast that lets you search for events by day, by region, by county, by city or by event (based on key word).

This Week Magazine
Primary focus is the Crystal Coast (North Carolina’s coastal midsection).

Mountains

Asheville Citizen-Times
From the main page, click on “Outdoors,” then WNC Outdoors calendar.

Blue Ridge Outdoors
Searchable calendar lets you extend your reach to events throughout the mid-Atlantic and Southeast (or you can just limit it to North Carolina). Also lets you search a boatload of categories, ranging from Hiking, Mountain Biking and Climbing to Trail Running, Triathlon and Road Walking.

The Mountain Times
From the main page, click on “Calendars,” then Main Events.

Todd’s Calendar

Piedmont

Charlotte

Charlotte Observer events calendar
Comprehensive calendar searchable by category, including Nature, Recreation, Recreation & Wellness, Running

Charlotte Parent
Comprehensive calendar concentrating on things the family can do together.

Triad

GoTriad.com
Comprehensive calendar includes a Sports & Recreation category.

Piedmont Parent
Comprehensive calendar concentrating on things the family can do together.

Triangle

Triangle.com
Comprehensive calendar searchable by category, including: Birding, Boating, Cycling, Nature, Rec & Wellness, Recreation, Running, Swimming, Tennis, Yoga.

Carolina Parent
Comprehensive calendar concentrating on things the family can do together.

Statewide

Office of Environmental Education
One calendar for the numerous Environmental Education Centers statewide.

North Carolina State Parks
Lets you search for programs at the state’s parks, recreation areas and natural areas by location, by month, by topic. To reach the calendar from the home page, click on “Education,” then “Fun & Free Programs at Parks.”

National Forests in North Carolina
From the home page, click on Carolina Connections for news updates on the state’s four national forests as well as hints on recreational opportunities and a detailed rundown of recreation areas and the amenities at each.

The post This weekend: Wing it at the coast, race in Mayberry, hike atop North Carolina appeared first on GetGoing NC!.