Dreaded Druid Hills Virtual 10K - Taylor Grove ( A Run Anywhere Event)

This is the second in a series of virtual races that the Celtic Solstice Five-Miler is organizing in preparation for a "Virtual" Celtic Solstice Five-Miler in December.

This is our second experience in  the virtual race space, and would appreciate your feedback at the conclusion of this event.  

There are two courses that you may elect to run.  One is to run the actual Taylor Grove Dreaded Druid Hills Course.  The other option is a Run Anywhere Course.

The race entry fee is $10.   There is an option for a race shirt premium, which may be ordered in the store section for an additional $25.  This includes all shipping and handling, plus the race will absorb all of the pesky administrative and processing fees.  The short sleeved technical race shirt features the Taylor Grove logo with the fire-breathing dragon fighting a coronavirus on the front.  You can save $5 in shipping and handling fees be electing to pick up the shirt at Falls Road Running Store by entering FALLSROAD in the coupon code at checkout.

The  Taylor Grove Dreaded Druid Hills Course

The course starts at the Mansion House Loop intersection with a slight uphill to Beechwood.  Follow the Jones Falls Bike Path all the way past the Zoo and turn right at Parking Lot C.  Continue to the back gate of the Zoo at Crow's Nest Road and turn left.  The bike path will veer off to the right and about ten steps in you will see Three Sisters Road to the left.  Veer left and take Three Sisters downhill to a tee intersection and turn right to  enter the back hills for a series of steep climbs and descents with multiple false tops and sharp turns.  When you come to a three-way intersection after the hills veer left (or kind of straight if you will) and run until you see a sidewalk entry to the ball fields on your right.  Take a loop around the fields, exit with a right turn onto Red Road, go back to the three-way intersection and re-enter the hills.  After negotiating the switchbacks a second time, take the first left and follow the bike path all the way back to Taylor Grove.  When your watch/GPS/Strava etc. hits 6.2 miles, you are done!  Cool down.

So for your Anywhere virtual course design, try to find with about a mile and a half of easy running, followed by eight hill climbs and eight descents of 100 to 150 feet in three and a half miles.  If you live in a flat area, substitute highway overpasses, outdoor stadium stairs, or parking garages for your hills. Your finish line should should be somewhere with a great view representative of where you are. 

Post a selfie to #dreadeddruidhills10k.

Charitable Component - Top Ten Donors will receive a complimentary entry to the Celtic Solstice Virtual Five-Miler
The race is also collecting donations for 3 worthy causes that have been supported by the Celtic Solstice in the past.

A) JHU Huntington's Disease Clinic, recommended by Boordy Vineyards, providers of Celtic Solstice wassail wine.
B) Leukemia Society, recommended by Chef Tim Mullen, Celtic Solstice Soup maestro.
C) Turnaround Inc., recommended by Sue Kallaugher, a Celtic Solstice volunteer coordinator

There is a fourth 501(c)(3), the Celtic Star.  The Celtic Star is a distribution mechanism that dispenses the donations among the named charities.   The donation board does not allow you to split your contribution.  We can split contributions through the Celtic Star.  That is also the organization that will send you a tax receipt for your records should you itemize your income tax deductions.

The event will be donating  $2 of your entry fee to the Celtic Star EIN 45-1758574, which will divide those proceeds among the race charities. The event is also absorbing those pesky processing fees and administrative fees, so 100% of your donation will go to charity.  There will also be a separate donation page, so give a few dollars to a charity of your choice.    If you want your donation spread among the three major charities, then donate to the Celtic Star which will distribute your donation to among the three.  You will receive a separate email confirmation of your donation for your tax records.