Charlie Horse Trail Half-Marathon & Dirty Pony 5K

Join us Memorial Day Weekend for the 29th running of the Charlie Horse Trail Half Marathon to benefit Berks Co. Special Olympics. The Charlie Horse is not your typical race—it is mostly trail, a little road, and all adventure. It has everything veteran runners need to challenge themselves, including plenty of rocks, roots, and single track. The half marathon distance is also perfect for those interested in trail racing but maybe not quite up for the ultra-distances. If a half marathon isn’t quite your speed, we’re happy to offer the Dirty Pony 5k, where the focus really is on fun and adventure but still benefiting a worthy cause. It’s a great option for those new to running (or trail running), runners who really want to get down and dirty, or just a fun way to fill time while a loved one runs the Charlie Horse. Regardless of your reasons, we hope to see you there! Course Details The majority of the Charlie Horse Half-Marathon takes place on the Horse-Shoe Trail in Brecknock Twp, PA. The race starts in front of Sleepy Hollow Athletic Club on Westley Rd. For the first ½ mile, the race is on the road, which helps spread out the field before jumping on to the Horse-Shoe Trail and heading west. The HST is mostly single track in this section. Approximately 4.5 miles in, the course transitions to a country road section for about 1.2 miles where runners do a bit of a lollipop to the Brecknock Twp Municipal Office building, then back onto a bit of fields/trail that leads back to the Horse-Shoe Trail. From there, runners will be directed to head east on the Horse-Shoe trail back toward Sleepy Hollow. At Sleepy Hollow runners will continue east on the Horse-Shoe trail and enter the Plowville section of the trail for the last 5k of fun that eventually loops runners back to Sleepy Hollow for the finish. (For those running the Dirty Pony 5k, the course starts at Sleepy Hollow Athletic Club and heads east through the Plowville section and loops back to Sleepy Hollow for the finish, essentially running the last 5k of the Charlie Horse.) What’s the Plowville section? It’s a mystery to us too: lagoons; waterfalls; campers; hikers; teenagers, maybe some chores. The only certainty is rocks, mud, fun, and a course finish like you’ve never seen before. If that description creates more confusion than clarity, don’t worry! The course is well marked with neon ribbons and strategically placed volunteers help guide runners in some of the trickier areas of the course. There are 3 aid stations on the Charlie Horse course, (approximately 3.5 miles, 6.5miles, 10miles).