Let the Games Begin! Snowy Owl 10 Mile Race Repot

Sunrise at York River Stare Park

2026 is now officially in full swing. For the last few years, I have been making the Snowy Owl 10 Mile trail race my kickoff race to get the year rolling. Snowy Owl is produced by Happy Cat Fitness, a small local race company that puts on wonderful, friendly events in and around the Williamsburg area. This race takes place at the beautiful York River State Park which offers hiking and biking trails for all abilities. Happy Cat races accommodate runners and hikers so there is something for everyone at his race with a generous 4 hour cutoff. 

Last year I had a PR at this race so going in, I wanted to be competitive but did not think I would be up for another PR effort. Here is a snap of me at the starting line (red shirt and blue visor). 

This race is mostly on single track mountain bike trails which means nothing is flat and there are numerous roots, rocks, leaves, and technical up and downs to navigate. It is custom made for me as I am 'Rudy the Rabbit' (old movie reference) and enjoy the challenge of scurrying through the trees and doing my best not to fall on my butt. 

After some wide open double-track at the start, the race quickly moves on to the technical single track I so love. My goal this year was to not go out too fast. I did a little better than last year in that respect but it did not take long for me to get annoyed with running on other racer's heels so I put in some efforts to get around some folks so I could better navigate the trails. I prefer to make my own mistakes and not rely on other people's lines. 

The race was pretty uneventful which is desirable. I did not stumble, I did not fall. There were a few moments when I questioned my sanity and wondered why I bother running at all. Tempo efforts can do that to a person. But I persevered and tried to keep the gas pedal down. In the end, my finishing time was good enough for second in the 50-59 age group. Whoo hoo!

I was happy with the race and enjoyed meeting up with my friend Tyler who also has been doing this race each year. He calls it the "Holiday Humbler". 

The day after the race, I was appropriately sore and somewhat tired. Since I did not have to go to work on Monday (that's a story for another day), I slept in a bit and then went to one of my favorite parks for a recovery walk in the woods. It was quiet and peaceful and I saw a number of cool woodpeckers on my walk along the creek. 

A few miles walking in the woods does a body good. And it is good for my overall well being. The park was quiet and I only saw a few people with their dogs so I got to contemplate my navel and take in some wildlife. 

So far, 2026 is off to a great start!