Fall Foliage Adventure Race
14-hour and 4-hour races / October 19, 2024
4-Hour OR 14-Hour - Paddle, Bike & Trek
"The perfect mix of thinking and movement!" - Past Participant
"One of the FUNNEST things I have ever done with my family" - Past Participant
2024 - Results / 4.5hr Photos / 15hr Photos / 14hr GPS Tracks
2023 - Results / 4hr Photos / 15hr Photos / 15hr GPS Tracks
2022 - Results / Photos / Video
Make a team or go solo as the temperatures start cooling off and the leaves start falling and changing color during our Fall Foliage Adventure Race in and around the stunningly beautiful Mason Neck peninsula in Lorton, Virginia. If you love being outdoors, then this is the event for you.
4-hour Race: For the first time, our 4-hour fall race will have biking, but no worries, this will be the most beginner biking we could think of as it'll all be a mix of paved trails and gravel. As usual this race will start alongside our bigger race and and consist of some smaller parts from that course.
14-hour Race:
USARA Regional Qualifier - This year we're taking our more seasoned racers through a bunch of areas in and around the Mason Neck peninsula, it will consist of multiple parks, conservancies and historical sites with plenty trekking, paddling and biking along with some other fun challenges thrown in and ending going into the night.
The 14-hour race is a USARA Regional Qualifier, which means the winning Mixed-3/4 team will win an automatic entry to the 2025 National Championship.
Highlights video from previous race:
New to adventure racing? What is an adventure race? Simply put, Adventure Racing (AR) is an outdoor scavenger hunt: orienteering (navigating with a map and compass) but via multiple modes of travel. Unlike your average 10K/5K, marathon or obstacle course race where there is a strict roped off race course to follow; with orienteering/AR you are given a map with marked checkpoints (CPs), and its up to you/your team to navigate and find as many checkpoints as you can within a time limit. The best teams will work together and help each other to not only go fast, but also efficiently, acquiring the most checkpoints wins (fastest time as tie-breaker).
• This is a USARA-sanctioned event (both races score USARA national ranking points).
• Race will score points for the Virginia State Parks Adventure Series
• This race will also count towards the 2024 Mid-Atlantic Autumn Adventure Series
• Race will score points for the Adventure Racing World Series - North America Series
Spectators are welcome to watch, hang out, take pictures, fish or just picnic in the park during this event but are NOT allowed to assist participants. This is a USARA-sanctioned race.
| 4-Hour | 14-Hour | |
|---|---|---|
| Paddle | 4+ miles | 9+ miles |
| Trek | 5+ miles | 25+ miles |
| Bike | 8+ miles | 24+ miles |
| Age limit | 4+ | 8+ |
*Distance estimates are for clearing the full course (getting every single checkpoint)
Race Proceeds to Benefit
M.O.R.E. (The Mid-Atlantic Off-Road Enthusiasts) is the premier mountain biking and trail-building advocacy club in the Mid-Atlantic region of D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. MORE’s mission is to build an inclusive mountain biking community and to increase access to natural-surface trails throughout the region for all riders.
The proceeds from this race will be donated 100% to the James Long Park fund within MORE. James S. Long Regional park is a 230 acre park in Haymarket that houses several options for active and passive recreation from soccer, lacrosse and baseball fields to over four miles of wooded, natural surface trails through the park.
Race Schedule - (tentative):
SATURDAY, OCT. 19
7:00am - Packet Pickup Opens (both races)
7:45am - 14-HR Pre Race Brief
8:00am - 14-HR Race Start
9:00am - 4-HR Race start
1:00pm - 4-HR - Race Cutoff
1:15pm - 4-HR - Awards
10:00pm - 14-HR - Race Cutoff
10:15pm - 14-HR - Awards
| 4-Hour | 14-Hour | |
|---|---|---|
| Before Apr. 1 | $80 | $190 |
| Before Aug. 1 | $90 | $205 |
| On/After Aug. 1 | $100 | $220 |
*USARA membership required/checked during registration.
Single-event membership = $8, or $35 annual membership.
Registration Includes:
- Kayak/Canoe (boat, paddle and lifejacket "PFD")
- Race shirt
- must register before Sep. 1 to guarantee race shirt.
- Topographic race maps
- In-Race Equipment transportation
- Race pictures
- GPS Live-Tracking Website (14-hour race only)
- Post-Race Food / Refreshments
- Custom Awards for top finishers in each category:
- Solo (Male & Female)
- 2-Person Teams (Male, Female & Mixed)
- 3/4-Person Teams (Male, Female & Mixed)
- Family Division (2-person & 3/4-person)
- At least one team-member 15 or under / 4-hour race only.
Other Event Details:
- Event is "Rain or Shine"
- To put on great events for participants, takes a team of volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering, let us know, volunteering for a race is a great way to learn what they are all about.
Mandatory Gear (provided by participant):
- Watch
- Waterproof map case(s) OR at least ziplock bags
- Adequate hydration on you/backpack at all times
- Fully charged cellphone left in backpack (in case of emergencies)
- Whistle (in case of emergencies)
- Lightweight first aid kit in pack. 1 per soloist/team: like this
- Dry bag for your phone (either a zip-lock or store bought dry bag)
- Compass
- Paddle Bag (if bringing own paddle equipment)
- Bike (4-hour race any bike should do / 14-hour racers mountain bike mandatory)
- Bike helmet
- Bike lights (14-Hour Race Only)
- Bike repair kit (spare tube, pump, bike tool, etc.)
- Headlamps (14-Hour Race Only)
- UTM plotter (14-Hour Race Only, just for a few optional bonus points)
Mandatory Gear (provided by BROR):
- Race map(s) (provided at check-in)
- Race rules (provided at check-in)
- Race e-punch (provided at check-in)
- Race bib # (provided at check-in: 1 for each person, can be worn on backpack)
Recommended but Optional Gear (provided by participant):
- Racers may bring their own paddles/PFDs (paddle bag required if so)
- Change of clothes in dry-bag (just in case)
Race Rules:
- Follow our motto: be active, have fun, be outdoors! Enjoy your time exploring, enjoy this great park and trails, enjoy time with your fellow adventurers and just simply enjoy the experience!
- This course is open to all ages, but racers under 13yrs old must be on a team with an adult.
- You are allowed to have a smart-watch/device to “track an activity” but
use of any smart device (phone, watch, pace counter, GPS) to aid in navigation will result in disqualification.
- You must follow a “Leave No Trace” ethic. No littering and also no damaging of the parks/trails (no machetes / bushwhacking needed), anyone caught in violation will be immediately disqualified.
- All members of a team must stay within 100 feet of each other at all times during the event. If you can’t hear/see each other, you are too far apart.
- Participants may receive assistance from any other registered competitor or informational help from any unplanned source that would be available to other competitors (ex: general public also in the park).
- Portable music players / earbuds are not permitted.
- Poor sportsmanship will result in disqualification.
- Racers must notify race officials if they drop out of the race for any reason.
Address for GPS / Parking Directions:
Race will start/finish at
George Mason's Gunston Hall:
10709 Gunston Rd.
Lorton, VA 22079
Camping:
- There will be no on-site camping at Gunston Hall; however there are 150+ campsites just next-door at Pohick Bay Regional Park which is maybe 2 minutes by car, and actually has trails connecting to Gunston Hall.
Hotels/Lodging:
- Tons of hotels, restaurants, etc. within the area.
Our Sponsors / Partners:
