Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country | Founded 05-05-05

|| High Country Press Newswire

MARCH 19, 2009 ISSUE

A Cool 5 Race and Fun Run on Beech Mountain June 6

Beech Mountain Parks & Recreation the Town of Beech Mountain are hosting the 2nd annual A Cool 5 Race and 1.5-mile Fun Run on Saturday, June 6, at 9:00 a.m.

Amid growing interest and after an extremely successful first year, A Cool 5 will feature a run traversing across the top of Beech Mountain, Eastern America’s highest town. The 5-mile run and 1.5-mile fun run is open to runners and walkers of all ages and skill levels.

The racecourse is situated above 5,000 feet in elevation, and features moderate climbs, views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, including views of Grandfather Mountain and Mount Mitchell, and an average summer temperature that seldom exceeds 72 degrees.

Many runners, walkers and cyclists specifically make the journey to Beech Mountain for high altitude training, such as Lance Armstrong, who captured a Tour Du Pont stage win during the mid 1990s in the area.

A Cool 5 will benefit the construction of a new community playground at Buckeye Lake and Buckeye Recreation Center.

Race participants and their families are encouraged to take advantage of special dining, lodging and retail incentives that will be available throughout the weekend of the race. For more information about these incentives, contact the Beech Mountain Chamber of Commerce at 828-387-9283 or by clicking to www.beechmtn.com.

Registrations for the race are available by clicking to www.ACool5.com, or can be sent to racers via snail mail.

For more information on A Cool 5, call 828-387-3003, click to www.ACool5.com or email buckeyerec@townofbeechmountain.com.