Pictures of the race are posted here and here.
On Saturday, December 3, runners enjoyed the winter like weather running in the inaugural Broad Run Trail 5 Mile Jingle Bell Run. Over 75 runners, and walkers, registered for the new race which was created to highlight the Broad Run Linear Trail. It was a crisp morning with the temperature hovering around the 35F mark. For many of the runners this was the first time they had run a race on a trail, or raced in a 5 mile event.
As the runners started off on their journey they created a joyful holiday sound with jingle bells announcing their presence along the Broad Run trail, through the woods and on to the finish line at Victory Lakes Elementary School. Feedback from the runners, and walkers, was extremely positive with many commenting on the wonderful sights experienced along the trail. Several people had the opportunity to observe an eagle flying over the trail area.
Everyone was a winner in the Jingle Bell 5 Miler. Haben Zemichael was the overall winner and first place in the women’s division overall went to Emily Ferguson. We want to thank The Running Store and Dick’s Sporting Goods for supporting the race with wonderful prizes for the overall and age group winners. Of course everyone walked away something from the race to include a great experience on the trail, a water bottle from the Park Authority and jingle bells that can be used for the holiday season.
The Broad Run Linear Trail is one of several trail projects being worked on by volunteers from Prince William Trails and Streams Coalition (PWTSC) with support from the Prince William County Park Authority. Currently the trail runs from the vicinity of Victory Lakes Elementary along the Broad Run up to the Kingsbrooke sub-division. The trail will eventually run from behind the Target on Route 28 to Glenkirk Road near Lake Manassas which is approximately 7.5 miles. In the next couple of months two new bridges will be built along the trail near Victory Lakes to create easier access to the trail for trail users. Information concerning PWTSC can be found at https://www.pwtsc.org.