15th Conquer the Cove 25k & Marathon
Presented by Virginia’s Blue Ridge
Race Date – Sunday June 1st, 2025; 6:30am Start
300 Runner Limit
Registration is Open
Race Venue – Sherwood Archers
Also, you will not need a Carvins Cove day use pass for participation in this race.
This year will be the “reverse” course
Registration Fees
25k:
$50.00 until November 18th – (plus online processing fee)
$60.00 November 18th until December 31st (plus online processing fee)
$70.00 January 1st to May 29th at 6pm (plus online processing fee)
$80.00 from May 29th at 6pm and until/on Race Day – Unless Full – (plus online processing fee)
Marathon:
$80.00 until November 18th – (plus online processing fee)
$90.00 November 18th until December 31st (plus online processing fee)
$95.00 January 1st to May 29th at 6pm (plus online processing fee)
$100.00 from May 29th at 6pm and until/on Race Day – Unless Full – (plus online processing fee)
Virtual Option:
$30 for both the 25k and Marathon:
Our Virtual events are setup for you to be a part of the series without having to be in person for each event. This is a run anywhere option, that counts as one of the RNUTS qualifying races. In addition, you will get the race shirt or tank until 4/30/24, after that, all registrants will get a Mountain Junkies LLC Hoo Rag (similar to a Buff)
Weather in early June can vary widely, so we are advising you to carry water, especially marathoners. It doesn’t matter what size container you carry, but please carry something. I recommend the standard 20 ounce handheld bottle with pocket for gels and/or electrolyte pills. If the forecast will call for hot/humid weather on race day we may make carrying something mandatory.
The marathon has two intermediate cutoff points you can find that info here
This is a great event. If you are from Roanoke it gives you a chance to compete against the home town folks to see who’s top dog. If you aren’t from Roanoke it gives you the chance to see 80% of the trails of the park that will be well marked and maintained. This is the anchor event to the Roanoke Non Ultra Trail Series (RNUTS) and it has it all; great challenging course, beautiful venue, great aide stations and post race food, and a relaxing atmosphere to hang out in after the race.
Carvins Cove Natural Reserve is the place to run and ride if you are in Roanoke. It is the second largest municipal park in the nation. It holds not only a major water source within its 12,700 acres, but also overflowing recreation opportunities. There is approximately 40 miles of roads and trails in the park and within trail plan there should be miles and miles of new trails added each year.
Both race distances will be challenging. There will be a lot of climbing, approximately 3500ft of elevation gain in the marathon. 1000ft of this will occur following mile 18, but your reward will be 2.35 miles of downhill followed by a relatively easy 2 miles to the finish.
This event will be headquartered at Sherwood Archers. Property rules state that there will be No Dogs Allowed on the property for this event.
Price includes a challenging well marked course, technical shirt or tank top, finishers award, 8 well stocked aide stations, and post race food with good people.
Awards;
All finishers will get a finishers medal
Top 3 overall Male and Female winners, 1st place M/F Master winners
1st place in each age group will also receive a special award.
Age brackets for the races include, for both male and female:
14 and under; 15-19; 20-24; 25-29; 30-34; 35-39; 40-44; 45-49; 50-54; 55-59; 60-64; 65-69; 70 & up.
If you win an award and cannot stay for the awards presentation, we’ll have the awards at Gilbert Chiropractic, for 2 weeks (540-375-3990). After that, they will go into the rotation for the next year.
Course; Race Map
Course Records 25k
2014 Ed Dickenson 50 – 1:46:45.89
2022 Mary Sketch 29 – 1:58:11.57
Reverse Course
2021 Samuel Van Valkenburg 36 – 1:46:44.3
2021 Kristin Garri 38 – 2:09:16.7
Masters
2014 Ed Dickenson 50 – 1:46:45.89
2012 April Snow 42 – 2:29:10
Reverse Course
2021 Sam Allen 44 – 1:54:04.0
2021 Sarah Glenn 45 – 2:27:01.0
Course Records Marathon
2014 Jake Reed 26 – 2:53:49.39
2015 Sarah Glenn 39 – 3:34:26.55
Reverse Course
2021 Jordan Chang 33 – 3:03:29.7
2021 Michelle Lowry 44 – 3:42:43.5
Masters
2014 – Chuck Engle 43 – 3:14:35
2018 – Sarah Glenn 42 – 3:48:38
Reverse Course
2021 Daniel Kolasa 42 – 3:30:25.4
2021 Michelle Lowry 44 – 3:42:43.5
Aid Stations; will have Water & Skratch, Gels, bananas, oranges, PB & Js, chips, and a few other sugary or salty items.
25k Course Description and Water Stops
Marathon Course Description, Water Stops and Intermediate Time Cuts
Spectator Info: Spectator Map Spectator Information Course Mileage Spreadsheet
Spectators will not need to purchase a day use pass for Carvins Cove
Inclement Weather Plan; Mountain Junkies LLC does everything possible to make sure our events are held as advertised but sometimes the municipality that we permit our events though has to call the shots. In the event of severe weather Roanoke City Parks and Recreation will make a determination of the safety of the event.
The entire 25k course holds up well to wet weather and will not be altered due to excessively wet conditions.
Miles 8-18 of the Marathon course are susceptible to excessively wet weather and an altered course may be used if Roanoke City Parks and Recreation deems it appropriate. In this case, until we come up with a better option, the marathon course will consist of two laps of the 25k course. On the second loop the course will deviate from the first loop by continuing on Brushy Mountain Fire Road, from WS 7, for 2 miles to Trough, going down Trough to WS 8 and on to the finish. This will increase the total mileage to 28.72 miles.
Pre-race Packet Pickup
Thursday 5/23/24 at Gilbert Chiropractic in Salem – 26 West main Street – 375-3990; from 10-1 & 3-6pm
Saturday 5/25/24 at Fleet Feet Sports in Roanoke – 4347 Franklin Road – 777-1166; from 10am-6pm
Race Day Packet Pickup at Sherwood Archers
Packet Pickup and Check-in – 5:15-6:15
There will be a Race Briefing at 6:15.
Directions to Sherwood Archers;
GPS Address – 2720 Timberview Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24019, United States
RACE DAY RULES:
- Race number must be on your front, and visible at all times. Do not tear off the bottom strip until the finish (Even if we chip time the event. The tear tag is our backup).
- Follow the marked trail – no short cutting. We have eyes everywhere!
- Communicate and be courteous when passing or being passed.
- Same goes for our volunteers. They’ve taken their day off to help you.
- Headphones (ipods, mp3 players, etc) are permitted only if you keep the volume down so that you can hear other runners behind you and our volunteers when they need to get your attention. Failure to do this will jeopardize the use of headphones for you and the other runners in the future.
- Dogs are NOT permitted.
- If you drop out of the race, please let us, course marshal, or volunteer know before leaving the event.
For Race Information Contact:
Mountain Junkies L.L.C.
26 West Main Street, Salem, VA 24153
540-525-9452
info@mountainjunkies.net