I’d finished all six Tour de Salisbury events since they started in 2020, but I really brought it down to the wire on this year’s Winter Tour, and I became unsure I would finish. However, with my last run on Jan. 30, I finished Winter Tour No. 2.
The Tour de Salisbury and its related events (The Islands Tour in summer 2024 and The Winter Tour, which started in winter 2023-2024) are a lot of fun. Each includes a series of courses in specific Delmarva locations. For The Winter Tour, there were eight of these segments, totaling about 50 miles, to be run during December and January.
Participants track their times using Strava segments and a website built for the Tour called Broke Runner, though the time and getting the perfect segment really only matter if you’re going for the podium — the top three male or female runners. I was not going for the podium, but I still like to get the segments. Many of us, me included, are in it more for the experience — having fun and exploring — and completion than for fast times. Others are more competitive.
I got a late start to The Winter Tour because I ran the NCR Marathon on the last day of November, then took off most of the week before pacing the Rehoboth Seashore Half Marathon.
Once I got started, though, I ran two of the eight legs in my first Tour weekend — Dec. 14 and 15.
Berlin
Berlin was a new addition to The Winter Tour. This 5.62-mile segment started and ended at Heron Park (formerly Berlin Falls Park, which I actually wrote about back in 2016). I ran this one alone, during the day, and while I was not trying for a full-out race pace, I was trying to go a little faster than a relaxed, conversation-pace type of run.
The segment didn’t include the park itself, but took runners on the west side of Berlin first, down West Street and then on Buckingham Lane and through the Northern Worcester Athletic Complex, before continuing into residential areas, by Stephen Decatur Park (also mentioned in the post above) and through Downtown Berlin before heading back.
During the run, I was using my phone and the navigation on my watch. My phone ended up running out of battery, but I was happy to be able to complete the segment using the guides from my watch.
I finished the segment in a time of 1:08:28, a 12:10/mile pace.
I got to see some Christmas decorations during the run and stopped at Baked Dessert Cafe afterward.
The South Pole
The next day, Dec. 15, I met up with a Santa-hat-wearing group for a run at The South Pole segment. This 3.95-mile segment, which was also part of The Winter Tour last year, is on the trails behind the Lower Shore Family YMCA in Pocomoke City. It’s a challenging course, and I knew I wouldn’t be fast. The course is mostly single track trails, which open up a bit toward the end (but then there’s a grassy hill).
Trent had posted about the group run, and the Santa hat theme and knowing there’d be a group out there definitely drew me in, even though there was an early meeting time — 7 a.m. There were 13 runners and one dog, so we were able to split into smaller pace groups and have people with us the whole time. I ended up leading my group through the trails. There were pink flags marking the way, which really helped.
Last year, this course was covered in water, so I was pleasantly surprised that it was totally dry this year.
While GPS watches vary on the distance logged on trails (for example, I had 4.34 miles and did barely start to go the wrong way once), the segment is 3.95 miles, and for that, I logged a time of 1:11:45, an 18:09 pace. That was a decent amount faster than last year’s Tour segment time of 1:20:41.
Runners headed up to the Princess Anne Dunkin’ afterward (we were all heading north anyway).
Snow Hill
The following weekend, I met up with Diana, Kimberly and Penny for the Snow Hill segment, which was 6.99 miles. They had come from the Berlin segment, but I’d already run that one and decided to meet them just for the Snow Hill one.
This segment took us through residential areas, then onto the new Summerfield Trails. I’d seen that these trails had opened and had wanted to check them out, but I hadn’t gotten a chance yet, so I was glad this was part of the Tour segment. The trails were probably about three miles or so of the segment; I had my watch on the “Navigate” setting, so I’m not sure.
After exiting the trails, we then headed to Byrd Park, where there were Christmas decorations set up, along with murals. My watch ended up dying about only a quarter-mile from the finish. Afterward, we went to Del Vecchio’s Bakery, which was close to the start.
As I mentioned previously, I hate not getting the segment, so I returned the next day. I would also say this was my favorite course of this year’s Winter Tour.
I finished the 6.99-mile segment in 1:38:58, a 14:09/mile pace.
Redden Forest
Redden Forest was the one location on the Tour that I’d never been to at all. I had been wanting to check out the trails there, so I’m also glad this was included on the Tour, and that I finally made it. I had posted in the active Tour de Salisbury Facebook group to see if anyone was interested in running at Redden State Forest, north of Georgetown, Delaware, on Dec. 29, and six people and a dog took me up on it.
This course was a big loop. I lost the group pretty fast, so I did my own consistent run-walk intervals. I had donated blood about a week prior, had a tough run on Christmas and was still feeling it during this run. The trail was wide and not rooty, making for an easier trail run. I enjoyed exploring this new-to-me area and would definitely return for a run.
I logged a time of 56:29 for the 4.33-mile segment, an average 13:02/mile pace.
Trap Pond
I always enjoy running at Trap Pond State Park in Laurel, Delaware, and the Trap Pond Bob Trail loop was part of The Winter Tour this year. The trail goes around the pond and is in a wooded area, but it’s not generally very rooty (though there are some roots). I’ve run there many times, so I knew the way.
The Strava segment is 4.54 miles, and I decided I wanted to run my fastest time for this segment when I went out there for a solo run Jan. 5. With 26 previous efforts on this segment (certainly not all trying to be fast), the time to beat was 54:24, which I ran in October 2021.
I was able to do that, coming in with a time of 53:52, an average 11:51/mile pace.
With five segments down, things were looking good for me for The Winter Tour. However, then we had snow and ice that just wouldn’t go away because of persistent cold temperatures. Then, the following weekend, I was sick and not up for running.
Onancock
With the Tour nearing an end, there were several of us who still needed to run the Onancock segment of the Tour — the longest one at more than 11 miles, and also the furthest away from Salisbury at a little more than an hour’s drive. After a discussion in the Tour de Salisbury group, six of us started a run just before 9:15 a.m. Jan. 25, with others also out on the course that morning.
I picked up Jeremy in the morning, and then we picked up Todd to continue down to Onancock, which is on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. This was another new addition to the Tour this year. I wanted to be sure to run this segment on a Saturday because Corner Bakery has my favorite doughnuts, and they aren’t open on Sundays.
I had run in Onancock before at the Run for the Animals events, but I hadn’t run this specific course. It starts and ends at the Historic Onancock School, where the Run for the Animals events used to start before moving to Wachapreague. The route included rural roads, the downtown area and a dock that took us out into the Chesconessex Creek.
This was my longest run since the Rehoboth Half, but I felt surprisingly good after a much lighter prior two weeks. I did two-minute-run, one-minute-walk intervals with Jean, and we kept up a consistent pace that I’m sure was faster than I’d run on my own. I felt pretty good until the last few miles — when I didn’t feel awful but was starting to feel it. I dropped back a little from Jean, and Todd, who’d joined us. They altered the intervals, and I was able to finish with them.
My time for this 11.19-mile segment was 2:20:42, a 12:34/mile pace.
St. Michaels
Running out of time, I headed to St. Michaels — the other furthest-away leg, maybe a few minutes closer than Onancock — the next morning, Jan. 26. I knew I needed to leave early if I was going to get this done, as I also had to prepare for and lead the Eastern Shore Running Club annual meeting later that day.
The St. Michaels route started and ended at Clint S. Bradley Park. Runners immediately went onto the paved St. Michaels Nature Trail, and also finished the course on the trail. The course also had lots of waterfront views and went through residential areas, as well as by the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and the main street area, which is South Talbot Street.
I started my run just after 8:15 a.m. and did run-walk intervals. My segment time was 1:33:46 for 6.68 miles, a 14:02/mile average pace. After a couple weeks of little running, a weekend with 17.87 miles was a lot!
I stopped by Sprout for a latte and acai bowl before heading back home.
Winter SBY
I did my last run of the Tour de Salisbury on a Thursday evening, Jan. 30. This was part of the Tour last year, and I live close to the start, so I was familiar with the course and roads. I’d have much preferred to run this during the day, but I ran out of time, so I wore my lighted vest and a headlamp and also used my phone to light the way. I started the run at 5:12 p.m. and was able to run a couple miles in the light before it was dark.
The race starts and ends in the Salisbury City Park and takes runners up Glen Avenue and out to Johnson Road. Johnson Road doesn’t really have a shoulder, but once I got into the neighborhood heading back to the park, I felt much better. I tried to move somewhat quickly just because I didn’t like being out there at night; I was hit by a car at night while running four years ago and I figured people may not be looking for a runner. Then, my phone died with about a half-mile to go. However, I made it to the end without a problem, and I completed The Winter Tour for 2024-2025!
This segment was 7.6 miles, and my time was 1:38:09, a 12:54/mile pace.
My total time for the eight segments was 11:22:09. This was a little faster than 2024’s Winter Tour final time, which was 11:48:44.
I picked up my finisher award and a Tour sticker at the Algonquin 50K packet pickup a couple weeks later. I didn’t run Algonquin, though I did volunteer.
While I’d have liked to have not lost the weekend due to sickness, the Tour was once again fun, and I especially enjoyed the runs I was able to do with friends.
If this sounds fun to you and you live in the Delmarva area, registration is now open for the summer edition of the Tour de Salisbury, which has 12 routes. Last year, The Islands Tour replaced the Tour de Salisbury and offered harder-to-get-to locations but four months to complete the Tour. This year’s summer Tour doesn’t include islands requiring a boat and will go back to the two-month time frame.
I’ve already signed up. If you’re interested, sign up here! (This is not a referral or sponsored link — just spreading the word.)
She Runs by the Seashore 