Willistown Conservation Trust Sets the Date for Run-A-Muck

Five-kilometer races are not too hard to find around Malvern. The options include , Sweet Baby Zane's Run and the , plus plenty more in West Chester, Media and other neighboring towns.

But trail runs, which take participants off the pavement and onto rock and earth, are a different story. There aren't many of them to be found, and that's one reason Willistown Conservation Trust's Run-a-Muck is worth checking out.

The two course options, spanning 1.5 or 3 miles, take runners through the property of Heartwood Estate on Providence Road. Though admission tickets aren't yet available, the WCT recently announced the 2011 event will be held Saturday, Sept. 24. The run is the conservation organization's biggest fundraiser of the year.

Unlike most runs, this event will be held in the afternoon, and it will be followed by a dinner and live entertainment. The event is also open to walkers. For more information, visit the WCT website. Local runners interested in veering off the beaten path and aiding local conservation efforts should save the date... and keep training.