Charlie Horse Half Marathon

• Charlie Horse Half Marathon:- Run 13.1 Miles

Join the Pagoda Pacers on the Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend, May 29, 2016, when we will be holding the 2016 Charlie Horse Trail Half-Marathon to benefit Berks Co. Special Olympics. 

The Charlie Horse is not your typical race.  It is a point to point race which will require you to get to the finish, so NOT finishing is NOT option.  It is part trail, part road, and part adventure; everything a masochist runner needs.  

We start at scenic Rustic Park in Birdboro, PA with a sprint through two creeks and meander through the park for about 2 miles.  From there we climb up to the Horseshoe trail to start a beautiful 7 mile stretch through woods and farms.  The trail then pops out into a housing development at mile 9.  Say hi to the neighbors as they cheer you on and spray you down.  This is the start of the road section.  But like everything else with this race, it has its own character.  After climbing up to the development, you get a break, a downhill section. Wee.  But everything that goes down must come up.  I think that’s the way it goes, at least for runners.  To translate, we start the uphill section of the road.  When you get to the top at mile 11, you’re at Charlie’s house (home of the race founder) where the adventure begins.  It’s a mystery to us too: lagoons; waterfall; campers; hiker; teenagers, maybe some chores.  The only certainty is rocks, mud, and fun.  Finally finishes at Sleepy Hollow A.C. where the pool, food, music, drinks, and friends will be waiting.  Hope to see you there.

DIRECTIONS to REGISTRATION/SLEEPY HOLLOW (Address: 482 Westley Rd, Mohnton PA):

FROM the NORTH (READING, ALLENTOWN):  Take Route 422 through Reading.  About 2 miles east of Reading Take I-176 South to exit 7 (Green Hills).  Turn left at the light onto Rt.10 south.  Travel 3.1 miles and turn right onto Westley Road.  (Look for the Sleepy Hollow sign along route 10, or the Charlie Horse race sign at the intersection to turn.)  Go 1.2 miles on Westley Rd. and look for Sleepy Hollow on the left.

FROM the SOUTH-EAST (PHILLY):  Take the turnpike west (I-76) to the Morgantown exit (exit 298).  After toll, exit immediately (exit 1A) and head towards Beckersville (Rt. 10 N).  Follow Rt.10 about 6 miles.  After passing Plowville Church on your right, you’ll go down a long hill and turn left at the bottom of the hill onto Westley Road.  (Look for the Sleepy Hollow sign along route 10, or the Charlie Horse race sign at the intersection to turn.)  Go 1.2 miles on Westley Rd. and look for Sleepy Hollow on the left.

FROM LANCASTER:  Take US-222 North and exit at the Adamstown and Knauers interchange (Rt. 568).  Turn right at the stop sign and travel east on Rt. 568 (Alleghenyville Rd) towards Knauers and Green Hills for about 7.5 miles to Rt. 10.  (NOTE; at 3.0 miles, Rt. 568 bears left at the Y onto Kurtz Mill Rd.)  At the Rt. 10 stop sign, turn right, go south on Rt. 10 for about 1.3 miles, turn right on Westley Road. Once on Westley Road, follow about 1.2 miles to Sleepy Hollow on the left.