On September 11th, 2016, I ran the Asheville Du 10k Trail Challenge on the Biltmore Estate. 
The route was different than last year… a route I actually have wanted to do on foot in the past.  I have done this on the bike with kids many times though.  We started at Antler Hill village, ran down the gravel to the river.  Nice and easy and flat.  Took a left and ran the trail up to the lagoon, then followed the Deer Park Trail across the road and up the grassy knoll trail to the  back of the Biltmore House.  This is where it got hard because the trail is partly single track and partly wide enough for 2 runners depending on where you were.  Runners were coming back down as you were huffing up the hill.  The turnaround at the house is beautiful.  Looking off into the distance is a gorgeous scene into the mountains.  And luckily, as you turn around, its all downhill as you retrace your steps back down the Deer Park Trail to the lagoon.  However rather than staying on the gravel by the river, you took the paved trail back to the village to the uphill finish line.  Luckily I had a competitor on my heels for the last 2 miles of the race so I booked it in race time… however that last hill was a bear and I pooped out on the incline and couldn’t race her up the hill.

This was the 3rd race on the Trifecta series that idpahe puts together on the Biltmore Estate.  The medal you get at the end is gorgeous.

 
Race 1 is running the half, full, or challenge race on the Biltmore Estate in March.  You can sign up for this at http://www.ashevillemarathon.com (Use my invite code CRYSTAL2017AMAROCKS if you do!)
Race 2 is running the Kiwanis 5k or 15k on the Biltmore Estate in May.  If you choose the 15k, its the best of all worlds- you run the same path as the Asheville half marathon, past the Biltmore House and the Gardens, except on the way back you never hit gravel, you stay on pavement all the way back to the finish line!
Race 3 is the Off Road Series of the Asheville Du and Gravel Grinder.  You can choose to run a Duathalon, 10k Trail race, or a biking race, all on the grounds of the Biltmore Estate!

In other news, this means I’m halfway through with my training for the Kiawah half marathon in December.  I was supposed to run 7 miles this weekend, but it didn’t happen due to scheduling issues and not having time- so it’ll happen next week.  But definitely on schedule! Good luck!  Did anyone else run the Trifecta series?  Thoughts on it?