25k and 50k training programs begin!

It's time for the 9th annual CATS 50k Training Program! Trail/ultra curious? Time to join the CATS on some laid back group runs in the mountains and join us at the Promise Land 50k in April!

-This is a free, volunteer-led training program, no signup required, just read the info, listen to the podcasts (see below!), and join us on the Saturday group runs

-Once again we are choosing the Promise Land 50k trail race as our goal race, taking place on Saturday April 26th in the mountains outside of Bedford, VA (about 90 minutes from Cville)

-Linked here is the 2025 Training Plan - lots of info, dates, and rough mileage of our group runs

-Group run locations and times to be announced each week - Jim Hughes will be organizing and will communicate these via our email list serve and this CATS Facebook group. These are also coordinated as possible with the Naked Creek 25k training program (more info on that coming)

-New for this year - a podcast! You can just put in your earbuds, head out for a quick run, and learn how you can train for your first 50k, meet a ton of great people, learn all sorts of mountain and trail loopage that you never knew, and complete the Promise Land 50k on Saturday April 26th - Hell Yeah! Also linked here is the first podcast episode of "The Jimmie Rhoades Show" hosted by yours truly with a great kickoff episode where I interview the person I started my trail running journey with, my best friend and partner in everything Jarmans - Dan Spearin, aka Danton!

-Along with Sophie Speidel, we are going to put out a few more episodes over the coming weeks going over things like gear, winter running tips, nutrition, etc, etc and plan to have some CATS veterans and folks like David Horton and Jim Hughes join us as well.

Looking forward to another winter and spring of digging in and getting out there and meeting new friends!

-John Andersen