Get ready for the Stump 5K Run at Cass, June 10th 2023
The 5th Annual Stump Run 5k race at Cass is just around the corner. I spoke with Marshall Markley, Superintendent of Cass Scenic Railroad State Park about the event.
“The Stump Run will be on the Greenbrier River Trail on June 10th,” said Markley. “It starts at 9 o’clock in the morning; registration will start around 8. Any kid that is in school in Pocahontas County, Bath County or Highland County in Virginia has free admission, so they can sign up [for the run] for free.”
Registration is open now or you can sign up on the day of the race. However, only the first 25 who register are guaranteed to get a Stump Run hat.
“There will be prizes for first, second and third overall for men and for women, and there will also be age group prizes too; we’ll have a few T-shirts and things like that to give out to folks,” he said.
The race starts at the Cass Community Center and travels down the Greenbrier River Trail to just past mile marker 79. Total elevation over the course is less than 60 feet over mostly level terrain and the majority of the course is at least partly shaded. On the return trip, you’ll mostly follow the same route with a detour that takes you through the Extract Plant ruins and up a gravel/stone road that then reconnects with the trail and ends at the new trailhead in front of the Cass Company Store. The race is a fundraising event for the park.
“The Stump Run is a fundraiser for the foundation at Cass which is Mountain State Historical Railroad and Logging Association,” said Markley. “So they partner with the park and we do that as a collaborative effort.”
This is actually the 5th Stump Run; previous runs were held in 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022, skipping 2020 for obvious reasons. Markley says attendance at the race has steadily grown over the years and while there isn’t a category for fastest walker, he says plenty of people do walk the race at their own pace.
“We just want people to enjoy the day and enjoy being out on the trail. One thing that I also did not mention is that pets are welcomed and we always have an award too for first, second and third fastest pet. There’s been years when that was really, really popular. You never know what you’re going to get, but we like to offer that because a lot of people like to go on the trail with their dogs.”
The 5th annual Stump Run is Saturday, June 10th at 9am at Cass Scenic Railroad State Park.
To register, visit: https://tristateracer.com/race/12112
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