PURGATORY CREEK TRAIL RUN

Want to get up close and personal with the Purgatory Creek Greenspace? There may not be a better way to do it than with the 12th annual Purgatory Trail Run on Saturday, January 6.

The annual run has both a 5k or a 10-mile race.

According to Athlete Guild, which manages multiple runs in and around Central Texas, “the 10 mile course leads runners through a rather porous section of the Edwards Aquifer. Juniper groves, meadows, ephemeral wetlands, and oak mottes co-exist in Purgatory Creek Greenspace.”

The Purgatory Creek area has always been one of my favorites. Back when I was in college, before the current Ranch Road 12 extension was built, the property was difficult to access with an almost hidden entrance that was then at the end of Franklin Drive just off of Craddock Ave. While the area was public, it felt like you were walking straight out of the city into nature. Due to the difficulty of finding the place, there was often nobody there. It made it feel like it was all yours, and it has been one of my favorites ever since. Obviously, much has changed since it was drastically improved. The trail system is the best in town in my opinion. Now, I may not want to run every step of it, but any excuse to get outside is a good one for me. The 5k costs $35 on race day and the 10-mile costs $45. Packets are available starting at 6:45 a.m. at the Purgatory Creek Trailhead at the corner of Wonder World Drive and Hunter Road, and the race starts at 8 a.m. Parking is suggested near Hernandez Elementary.