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Charlie Horse Half Marathon and Dirty Pony 5K



Sunday, May 26, 2024 @ 9:00 am
 

Location: Sleepy Hollow Athletic Club
482 Westley Rd, Mohnton PA 19540

 
Race Day Information:  Please note that Registration and Parking is located at the FINISH.

Start/Finish: Sleepy Hollow

Description
            
Join us Memorial Day Weekend for the 27th running of the Charlie Horse Trail Half-Marathon or the Dirty Pony 5K to benefit Berks Co. Special Olympics. The majority of this race will be run on the Horse-Shoe Trail in Brecknock Twp, PA. It is well aided with 3 strategically placed aid stations. Packet pickup will begin at 7:30 AM Sunday morning. Day of registration with start at 7:30 AM Sunday Morning. The Half-Marathon start will be at 9:00 AM in front of Sleepy Hollow Athletic Club and the Dirty Pony will start at 9:15 AM near registration.
 
The Charlie Horse is not your typical race. It is part trail, part road, and part adventure. It has everything a masochist runner needs. The race will start in front of Sleepy Hollow Athletic Club on Westley Rd. For the first ½ mile, the race will be on roads to spread out the field. The course then gets onto the Horse-Shoe Trail and begins heading west. The trail is mostly single track in this section. At approximately 4.5 miles in, the course will begin a country road section for about 1.2 miles to do a bit of a lollipop to the Brecknock Twp Municipal Office building where the runners will get onto a spur trail that will lead them back to the Horse-Shoe Trail. 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 Charlie’s section of the trail for the last 5k of fun which will loop runners back to Sleepy Hollow for the finish. What’s Charlie’s section? It’s a mystery to us too: lagoons; waterfalls; campers; hikers; teenagers, maybe some chores. The only certainty is rocks, mud, and fun. Hope to see you there.
 
Restriction: There is a CUT-OFF at Aid Station #3 (9 miles) of 3 hours. After which, the sweepers and aid station crew will have the final determination of who continues. We ask that runners under 16 years old contact the race director for approval prior to registering. Entries are limited to 300 for the Half Marathon. Availability of shirts for the half marathon cannot be guaranteed for registrations after May 1st, 2024.
The Dirty Pony will start near the registration area and will be an all trail running of the most difficult portion of the Charlie Horse course. Day of registration will be available for both races. Charlie Horse $65 with a shirt (limited availability), $55 without a shirt. Dirty Pony $25

New Race Series
The Pagoda Pacers Athletic Club have introduced a trail race series which starts with the Charlie Horse Trail Half Marathon (not the Dirty Pony 5K). The second Pagoda Pacers trail race in the series is the Run for the Ages Trail Chase 10K in June. The final race in the series is the Blue Marsh Trail Ultramarathon 50K in October. Any runner completing all three races will receive a sweet bit of runner swag at the finish line at the Blue Marsh 50K. No special registration effort is required. Just sign up and complete all three races in the series. Links to the other two races will be provided when registration for those races opens up. 
 
Half Marathon Swag
The entry fee includes a T-SHIRT (Male and Female sizes), FINISHER AGE GROUP AWARDS and FINISHER SWAG, Some pre-packaged goodies in your finisher bag. All participants are welcome to stay for post event activities.
 
Half Marathon Race Awards
5 Year Age Groups:
Overall Male 1st, 2nd, & 3rd; Overall Female 1st, 2nd, & 3rd; Overall Master (40+) 1st Male & 1st Female
Under 18 (1M, 1F); 18-24 (3M, 3F); 25-29 (3M, 3F); 30-34 (3M, 3F); 35-39 (3M, 3F); 40-44 (3M, 3F);
45-49 (3M, 3F); 50-54 (3M, 3F); 55-59 (3M, 3F); 60-64 (3M, 3F); 65-69 (1M, 1F); 70+ (1M, 1F)
 
Dirty Pony Swag and Awards
All participants will be receiving finishers swag and finisher awards.  Finishers will also be able to attend the post race activities
 
Notices
NO outside alcohol may be brought onto the premises.
 
There is a 3 hour cut off at the 3rd aid station at approximately 9 miles of the Charlie Horse course. After which, the sweepers and aid station crew will have the final determination of who continues.
 
DIRECTIONS:  Link to map.
FROM NORTH (READING, ALLENTOWN): Take Route 422 towards Reading. About 2 miles east of Reading, take I-176 South and travel 2.9 miles to exit 7 (Green Hills).  At the light, turn left onto Rt.10 south.  Travel 3.1 miles to Westley Road on the right.  Look for the Sleepy Hollow sign along route 10, or the Charlie Horse race sign at the intersection to turn.  Go 1.2 miles on Westley Rd. and look for Sleepy Hollow on the left.
 
FROM SOUTHEAST (PHILLY): Take the turnpike West (I-76) to the Morgantown exit (exit 298).  After toll, exit immediately (exit 1A) and head towards Beckersville (Rt. 10 N).  Follow Rt.10 about 6 miles. After passing Plowville Church on your right, you’ll go down a long hill. Westley Rd. will be on the left at the bottom of the hill.  Look for the Sleepy Hollow sign along Rt. 10, or the Charlie Horse race sign at the intersection to turn.  Take a hard left, go 1.2 miles and look for Sleepy Hollow on your left.
 
FROM LANCASTER RT. 222: Take US-222 North and exit at the Adamstown and Knauers interchange (Rt. 568).  Turn right at the stop sign and travel east on Rt. 568 (Alleghenyville Rd) towards Knauers and Green Hills for about 7.5 miles to Rt. 10.  (NOTE; at 3.0 miles, Rt. 568 bears left at the Y onto Kurtz Mill Rd.)  At the Rt. 10 stop sign, turn right, go south on Rt. 10 for about 1.3 miles, turn right on Westley Road. Once on Westley Road, follow about 1.2 miles to Sleepy Hollow on the left.

 
 


General Membership Meeting

The Monthly Membership meeting will be held on Thursday October 10th, 2024 
 
Mohnton Fire Company Social Quarters, 100 E Summit St., Mohnton, PA 19540.  The meeting is upstairs. Enter the front door and go up the stairs to your left. There is no need to ring the buzzer for entry.   Food and drink at 6:30 p.m. Meeting starts at 7:00 p.m. All members welcome. Members are responsible for purchasing their own beverages.
 

Meetings are held the second Thursday of each month @7:00 pm.  All are welcome

Social

Wine and Cheese Party
 
Saturday September 7th, 6-9pm  
The Barn at Cacoosing
 


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Community Involvement/Volunteering 

Click here to see what we have done to promote running and fitness in Berks County!
 
Click here for info about the club's trail maintenance program.

 


 Strava

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Our Mission

The Pagoda Pacers Athletic Club promotes physical fitness and public wellness. We conduct athletic activities in our community, organize competitions, social gatherings, and educate the public on physical fitness and wellness. We promote participation in the sports of running, cycling, duathlons, & triathlons. We also encourage members to be more than just athletes by conducting a variety of social and civic activities in the Reading, Pennsylvania area.