Jenny Kincaid Boone

Jenny Kincaid Boone has been running since she was in eighth grade. She competed in cross country and track at Fort Defiance High School (Fort Defiance, Va.) and at Roanoke College, where she was all-ODAC in cross country for four years. When her knees and legs aren't aching from the wear of years of competition, she hits the 19 to low 20-minute range for a 5K.

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The fourth of July is a day for fireworks, cookouts and if you’re a runner, a good road race.

The closest race to the Roanoke Valley this July 4th is about 30 minutes away in Shawsville. It’s also one of the area’s fastest 3.1-mile races.

Last year’s first place male finisher, Aaron Saft, crossed the finish line in 15 minutes 50 seconds. But he still missed breaking the course’s record, which is a fast 14:31.

Former Eastern Montgomery High School head cross country coach, Marvin H. Ballard, heads up the Shawsville 5K, which is in its 25th year. Ballard has directed the race for the last 21 years.

And little has changed in those years, he said.

This year’s course is the same. It’s an out-and-back loop, which begins at Shawsville Middle School.

It’s mostly flat, except for one part. There’s a hill at the two-and-a-quarter mile mark, a point where it’s difficult for some runners to summon up energy as they near the end of the race.

The hill looms at Stewart Lane, the main intersection in Shawsville.

“It’s not what it is,” Ballard said about the hill. “It’s where it is as far as the race is concerned.”

An encouraging aspect of the course, though, is that it’s downhill once you cross over the hill to the finish line. That’s perhaps why runners turn out some fast times at this race, Ballard said.

Last year’s women’s winner, Bonnie McDonald of Roanoke, finished in 19:40.

But the course record time is 17:23.

“Shawsville is a course that people can possibly have a PR time on,” Ballard said.

There’s another unique aspect about this 5K. It’s one of the only ones locally that includes a family competition.

Kumar Krishen, 66, Anjala Kachen, 38, and Axenya Kachen, 12, have won the family competition of the Shawsville 5K for the three of the last four years.

For the last six or seven years, teams of three immediate family members have compete in the family part of the competition. Judging is scored like a cross-country meet, by adding up the places of each of the team members in their individual age and gender categories. The team with the lowest score wins.

Last year’s winners, a father, daughter and granddaughter team, have won three out of the last four years. They’re the team of Kumar Krishen, Anjala Kachen and Axenya Kachen.

Typically eight to 12 family teams enter this part of the competition each year, Ballard said.

He’s expecting another strong turnout for the 5K, which has drawn 185 to 215 in the past.

If it’s a hot July 4th day, runners also can expect a cool treat. Often some residents of Shawsville turn on their lawn water sprinklers, a refreshing jolt for runners as they race by.

Race information:

Shawsville 5K
Tuesday, July 4
8 a.m.—5K race/1 mile fun run
Entry fee: $16 before July 1, $20 on race day
Race-day registration: 6:30 a.m. at Shawsville Middle School

Prizes: Trophies to the first, second and third place winners overall Medals for age group awards For more information, contact Marvin Ballard at 268-1812 Directions to Shawsville Middle School, at 4179 Old Town Road:

(About 30 minutes from downtown Roanoke) From the Roanoke area, take I-81 South. Take exit 132 towards Dixie Caverns.

Turn left onto Dow Hollow Road. Turn right onto US 11. Turn right onto Lilac Drive and then right onto Old Town Road.

Upcoming local and regional races:

July 15: Coventry Commonwealth Games 5K , Roanoke, Web site July 22: Linktrack 5K, Christiansburg, Entry form (.pdf document) Looking for some new places to run this summer?

Check out some of these local trails.

1) The Star Trail:

Directions: Driving I-581 South, take Exit 6 (Elm Avenue) and turn west.

Take a left onto Jefferson Street. Turn left onto Walnut Avenue at the stoplight. Cross under the Walnut Avenue bridge and take the first left onto Piedmont Street. Turn right onto Riverland Road. Drive down the road about 1 mile and turn right into a gravel drive, marked Mill Mountain Star Trail.

2) Chestnut Ridge Trail:

Directions: Coming from downtown Roanoke, take Walnut Avenue east as it winds up to the top of Mill Mountain. Follow the road about a half mile past the entrance to the Mill Mountain Zoo. The entrance area to the trail is on the left side of the road.

3) Carvins Cove:

Directions: Take I-581 North towards I-81. Take I-81 North. Turn right off of exit at Exit 146 onto Plantation Road. Turn left onto U.S. 11. Pass Hollins University. Take a left onto Reservoir Road (Virginia 648). Follow the road until the end, which is the Carvins Cove area.