RVE Facilities and Training Venues
From the C. Homer Bast track to the Belk Fitness Center to countless miles of both paved and unpaved trails, Roanoke Valley Elite athletes have access to a wide array of excellent training facilities and venues.
Descriptions of some of the training resources available to Roanoke Valley Elite athletes can be found below. |
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C. Homer Bast Track
The C. Homer Bast Track is a six-lane facility with an eight-lane straightaway and was just resurfaced in the summer of 2013. The track serves as home to the Roanoke College Track and Field program, which hosts two meets on an annual basis, the Roanoke College Invitational each March and the Roanoke College/Virginia Tech Twilight Qualifier every May. The Roanoke College/Virginia Tech Twilight Qualifier draws quality competition as athletes shoot for NCAA qualifying standards, and the meet has seen numerous qualifiers and fast times, including a sub-4 minute mile. Belk Fitness Center The Belk Fitness Center was built in 1997 and contains over 50 pieces of strength training equipment, including 21 free weight stations, five Hammer Strength stations, and two sets of Hampton dumbbells (ranging from three to 100 pounds). Additionally, the Fitness Center features over 20 cardiovascular machines including state-of-the-art treadmills, Stairmasters, and elliptical machines (Arc Trainer). The Fitness Center has several flat screen TV’s and a sound system and is constantly being updated with new equipment and features. Roanoke Valley Greenways The Roanoke Valley Greenways provide area runners with an excellent training resource. The Roanoke Valley Greenways currently consist of 26 miles of mostly paved trails, with additional sections of natural surface trails at Mill Mountain, Carvins Cove, and Read Mountain. The Roanoke Valley Greenway continues to expand, with a plan of eventually running from Green Hill Park near Salem, VA, all the way to Vinton, VA, which would be over 26 miles of continuous greenway. For more information, please visit the Roanoke Valley Greenway web site. Carvin's Cove Nature Reserve Located just minutes from Salem, the Carvin's Cove Nature Reserve provides athletes with a plethora of trail running options. The 12,700 acre reserve contains over 40 miles of trails, ranging from relatively flat to very challenging terrain and from wide fire roads to technical single track. For more information, including maps and where to access the trails, visit the Roanoke Outside web site. Rail Trails There are two rail trails within an hour drive of the Roanoke Valley. Located south of Roanoke, the New River Trail is 57 miles long and runs from the Pulaski, VA, area to the Galax, VA, area. The trail parallels the scenic and historic New River for 40 miles. The Jackson River Trail is located in Covington, VA, and is a 14 mile trail that runs alongside the Jackson River. There are plans to extend the Jackson River Trail in the future. Both the New River Trail and Jackson River Trail provide excellent training venues with smooth, flat, soft surfaces as well as shade in the summertime. |