September 15, 2021 - In West Virginia, one of the more unique 5Ks held annually in the Tug Valley area returned this past weekend as the 9th Annual Coal Dust Run was held on Saturday in Williamson. 

The annual race is hosted by the Tug Valley Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with the Tug Valley Road Runners Club.

Runners begin on Second Avenue in downtown and then run the course which went up Hospital Hill (Alderson Street) and back down throughout the downtown streets.

While on the course, runners would be “dusted” with coal dust as a fun way for Tug Valley residents and visitors to celebrate the area’s coal mining heritage.

The overall winner of the 9th annual race was Tyelin May, who also brought home the win in the Bill Smith Memorial 5K in Delbarton last weekend.

Finishing first overall in the female division is local runner Bianca Workman.

The Coal Dust Run and the Bill Smith memorial 5K are the first two legs of the Tug Valley Road Runners Club Race Series, which concludes this weekend with the Frank O’Brien Memorial 8K and 2-mile walk.