The Craig County Field of Dreams Recreation Complex will be the headquarters for the First Annual Craig County Ole Railroad 5K Fun Run. Scheduled for Monday, May 18, at 10:00 a.m., the course will begin at the Field of Dreams, then along Old Railroad Avenue and eventually continue for a distance along the Greenway before returning along the same course to the Field of Dreams. The event is open to all ages.
The Fun Run title is named Ole Railroad after the abandoned C&O Railroad that once connected New Castle to Eagle Rock. From the mid-1800s until the 1930s and ’40s, the railroad spur was used to move iron ore and timber from Craig County. The rail bed is still there, but the railroad spur was abandoned in the late 1950s.
Early sign-up for the Fun Run with a reduced fee of $20.00 is in progress now and continues until April 15. The fee then increases to $25.00 until the day of the event, when it increases to $30.00. The first 150 runners to register will receive a free t-shirt. Online registration is available at https://runsignup.com/Race/VA/NewCastle/olerailroad. More information on the event may be obtained by emailing craigcountyrun@gmail.com or calling 540-765-7787.
This first-time event is being sponsored by the Craig County Recreation and Conservation Association – Field of Dreams and by the Craig County Volunteer Rescue Squad. Any individuals, organizations or businesses wishing to assist and/or sponsor the event are encouraged to contact Teresa Oliver (toliver.craigco@tds.net), Robert Wrzosek (rwrzosek93@gmail.com) or Debbie Snead (dsnead@vt.edu).
- Submitted by Ann G. Harrell
