Global Running Day is always the first Wednesday in June, and for five of the last seven years, I’ve been at the 5K and kids’ run put on by my local Fleet Feet — one year as a runner, four years as a photographer.

Between coaching the local Fleet Feet trails program and chatting up anyone with half an interest in talking about trails (hiiii!), I’ve kept a mental list of popular or well-established local races. For the last two years, I formalized the list (2024 and 2023) and shared it whenever people asked for race recommendations. I want to continue that tradition this year, so here’s the latest list with updated info for 2025! 

Pilot Mountain State Park in North Carolina is a popular place for hikers and runners, and is one of my favorite spots. It is close to Winston-Salem and has a very distinctive profile that lends it nicely as a landmark for navigation, and can be easily seen from some places in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Before there were races and ultras in my life, before there were run clubs and communities on my radar, and before there were training programs and coaching calls on a weekly basis, there was running and there were adventures.

It was another glorious day in the mountains this weekend! Saturday was my sixth time at Uwharrie Mountain Run, and my third time running the race.

Sometimes it’s freezing cold, sometimes it’s warm, sometimes there’s ice, sometimes there’s mud — that’s just the nature of January in North Carolina — but there’s always good company at this community favorite race!