The Multiple Sclerosis Center at Augusta University and Sports Strategies will host Own the Woods, a multi-sport trail festival and expo on Sept. 14 at Blanchard Woods Park in Evans.
Own the Woods features trail competitions including cross country mountain biking, trail running and a mountain bike relay and an expo showcasing health and fitness vendors, food, beverages and activities for all ages.
The XC Mountain Bike Race will be a three-hour circuit race on the Blanchard Woods Park cross-country course that includes the addition of a new trail to lengthen circuit. A $1,000 prize will be presented to the overall winners. In the Mountain Bike Relay, four-person teams will compete in a four-lap race. The Trail Race, a five-mile trail race, will take place on a modified version of the Blanchard Woods Park circuit. A $500 prize will be presented to the overall winners.
Awards will be broken down by age group and gender.
Corporate teams will compete for a grand prize based on cumulative results in all three disciplines in the Corporate Challenge. Area businesses are encouraged to participate as teams. Awards in this category will be presented to team winner.
Own the Woods benefits the Multiple Sclerosis Center at Augusta University and serves to promote awareness about the disease. The event also acts as a forum to educate the public about the center’s services and promote a healthy lifestyle. Multiple sclerosis is a disease of the central nervous system that disrupts the flow of information within the brain and between the brain and body. This unpredictable and often disabling disease affects nearly 1 million people in the United States and approximately 2.3 million people worldwide.
“Through our work at the Augusta MS Center at Augusta University we know that MS is a challenging disease full of unpredictable ups and downs. We hope that presenting Own the Woods will serve as a positive reminder to everyone including those living with MS to stay the course regardless of the challenges they face,” said Dr. Suzanne Smith, director of the Augusta Multiple Sclerosis Center at Augusta University.
To register for the event, visit bikereg.com/OwntheWoods.
