Julie Morrill (left) recently taught a personal safety workshop for female runners. An expert in Krav Maga fighting and founder of Train Your Roar, Morrill says the most important thing solo runners can do is stay alert and be aware of their surroundings. Photo: Eze Amos
By Eileen Abbott
Charlottesville has a robust running community, but it’s not always possible to run with a buddy or a group. And if you’re out solo on the road or a trail, you should know how to run safely. “I certainly do not think running in Charlottesville poses any unique safety challenges,” says Jaime Kurtz, vice-president of the Charlottesville Track Club. “But I suspect that we can all get a little complacent when it comes to assessing risk and protecting ourselves.”
That’s why the track club decided to offer its members a personal safety workshop. “Few people, especially women, can navigate life without encountering some form of harassment—or a violent attack, at worst,” says Julie Morrill, an avid runner, expert in Krav Maga fighting, and founder of Train Your Roar, which offers self-defense training.
On a recent Monday evening, Morrill taught hands-on safety techniques to a roomful of female track club members. “I run by myself a lot, and I don’t always feel comfortable,” says Marie Dorroh. “I run with mace, but I’d rather have other options.”
Morrill offered these six essentials to personal safety:
1. Stay alert
This is Morrill’s top piece of advice. “Be aware of your surroundings,” she says. “Being aware helps you recognize potentially dangerous situations early, so that you can avoid them or prepare for them. Being aware also changes your posture to make you look less like a victim and appear more confident.”
Many runners often only look straight ahead to guide them along their chosen route, but awareness calls for more than this. Morrill recommends using all of your senses to assess what is around you. Scan the scene in front of you as if it were a panorama. Look and listen for unusual movement and sounds.
None of this should prevent you from enjoying your run, says Morrill, who urges runners not to be “paranoid that a bad guy is lurking around every corner.”
2. Project confidence
A runner who exudes vulnerability is more likely to be victimized. On the flip side, Morrill says, “No one wants to mess with someone who is alert, cool, and collected.”
Avoid giving off non-verbal cues, including running with your head down and a halting gait, or appearing to be lost.
Morrill says that if you encounter a “shady-looking character” while running, be proactive. “Rather than lowering your eyes and avoiding his gaze, belt out a confident, ‘Hello!’ and keep running strong,” she says.
This response robs a potential attacker of the element of surprise, and gives notice that a runner is “a force to be reckoned with,” Morrill says. “He should move on—you are not a victim!”
3. Trust your instincts
“You know that little feeling in the back of your mind that tells you something is just not right?” Morrill says. “Trust these feelings and learn to act on them.”
Take some time to think about threatening situations you might face, and consider how you’d respond. “If your intuition tells you something is wrong,” she says, “How would you act? What would you do?”
4. Run like hell
“Fight or flight is instinctual,” Morrill says. “The safest response is usually flight, as we do not know our attacker’s intentions, level of fight training, or if he is carrying a weapon.”
If you feel like an attack might occur, take off. “Never stop if someone yells, ‘Stop!’” Morrill says. “Keep running until you are in a safe place.”
She recommends preparing for an escape by practicing sprints or up-tempo distance running.
5. Be aggressive
“We still live in a society that teaches us, especially women and girls, to be nice, friendly, accommodating, and polite,” Morrill says.
A potential attacker depends on this, so runners should mentally contradict the stereotype, preparing to be assertive and even aggressive. “When someone makes you feel uncomfortable, it is not the time for being polite,” she says. “Do not be afraid of hurting someone or being considered ‘mean.’ If you feel unsafe, leave. If someone is harassing you, shout, ‘Leave me alone!’ and run away.”
6. Learn to fight
“The military has an expression: You fight how you train, so train how you want to fight,” says Morrill, who is trained in the Krav Maga methods used by the Israeli military. “In other words, by training soldiers in a way that simulates a real battlefield, they are better prepared to fight in real battle.” The same is true for a runner’s self-defense. Getting instruction in boxing or a martial art, even just a class or two, “will increase your chances of getting away safely.”
You take care of yourself. No, really—you take care of yourself. Between cycling, hiking and regularly visiting your doctor for eyes, teeth and tight knots, you’re treating yourself to a lifetime of wellness. Here’s where you turn to keep it all humming.
From the summit, hikers get 360-degree views as far as the eye can see. (See Best Hike.) Photo: Matteus Frankovich/Skycladap
Shape up or ship out, we say. And readers agree, having voted for the best in everything from martial arts school to personal trainer. And, when the going gets a little too tough, you weighed in on the best docs in town to keep you limber and living well.
Honorable mention: Hot Yoga (Hot Yoga Charlottesville)
“MAD” could describe a few things: lack of sanity (e.g. “I’ve gone mad”), the way you feel after you get your ass kicked in a workout or it might stand for Momentum, Anaerobic, Durability. In the case of The MADness, it’s the latter. Each class begins with an explanation of the exercises you’re about to begin, then you do what the instructor calls “a climb”—the whole routine for one minute per exercise, then two minutes, then finally three minutes per exercise. It sounds rough—but, since it earned top honors this year, you’re clearly not mad about it.
Illustration: Jason Crosby
BIKE SHOP Bike Factory of Charlottesville
Pedal to the metal
Bike Factory of Charlottesville might not be the oldest cycle shop in town, but owner Mark Gordon says celebrating its 20th year at its Zan Road location does make it the oldest to stay in one spot.
“There’s something to be said for that,” Gordon says, adding that his family-owned shop’s quick turnaround on repairs are likely why you’ve voted it the best bike shop in town.
But let’s get down to the nitty-gritty. What’s Gordon’s recommendation for the best city ride?
“Observatory Hill. It’s not the longest in the world, but you can definitely get some good riding in there. It’s very challenging.”
O Hill is home to some of the most steep, rocky and aggressive mountain biking trails in the city. It connects to the Rivanna Trail, which Gordon says gives bikers a good avenue to extend their ride.
Runner-up: Blue Ridge Cyclery
Honorable mention: Blue Wheel Bicycles
MASSAGE THERAPIST
Brett Strieter
Runner-up: Brian Keena
Honorable mention: Emma Rowe
Head, shoulders, knees and toes —it’s all connected, which is why Brett Strieter’s work at Infinity Massage focuses on releasing restrictions to the body’s fascial connective tissue. Through massage, he breaks up the tissue surrounding the muscle fiber, which helps the body move more freely. And he should know—Strieter’s work as an amateur bodybuilder and powerlifter gives him unique insight into the body’s abilities. In the runner-up spot, Brian Keena specializes in five kinds of massage therapy, including craniosacral and neuromuscular.
Illustration: Jason Crosby
DENTISTJeffery Hodges
You’re probably doing it wrong
“One tooth at a time…You scrub that tooth, then you go to the next one.” That’s the advice that dentist Jeffery Hodges gives the Charlottesville community on the best way to go at their daily cleaning. This year’s winner says while there’s no specific pattern for teeth-brushing, it’s important to focus on each tooth individually, and continue brushing for no less than two and a half minutes—anything below that, he says, is just not sufficient enough. Another piece of advice? Loosen the death grip on your brush. Being too aggressive could leave you down in the mouth.
Runner-up: Aaron Stump
Honorable mention: D.J. Bickers
GOLF COURSE
Old Trail Golf Club
Runner-up: Birdwood Golf Course
Honorable mention: Full Cry at Keswick Golf Club
A championship golf course in Crozet’s Old Trail community, Old Trail Golf Club boasts a full 18 holes of bent grass greens and zoysia fairways. We’re not of the golfing sort (though the club offers lessons to players of all skill levels through its Kandi Comer Golf Academy), but we can get behind one thing most people rave about when it comes to Old Trail: the views. Situated at the base of the Blue Ridge, golfers can get in some serious mountain-gazing from hole to hole.
HIKEHumpback Rock
Rock out
It takes hikers a little under an hour to traverse the 740 feet to the summit of Humpback Rock, but how did that rock even get there? Suffice it to say it took awhile. Here’s your history lesson.
About 1.2 billion years ago, the collision of several continents formed supercontinent Rodinia and caused a mountain-forming event known as the Grenville orogeny. (When two continents collide, instead of sinking, they shove over each other, creating mountains.) Then, roughly 400 million years later, as Rodinia began to break apart, molten magma beneath it started to heat up and spill onto the surface in the form of lava flows. Over time, those lava flows metamorphosed into basalt, an extrusive igneous rock. That igneous rock is the main element of the Catoctin Formation, a geological unit that stretches from Pennsylvania to Virginia and includes this year’s best hike winner at 3,080 feet above sea level.
Runner-up: Old Rag
Honorable mention: Saunders-Monticello Trail
PERSONAL TRAINER
Dar Malecki
Runner-up: Justin Tooley
Honorable mention: Vanessa Schnable
No surprise here: The CEO of MADabolic (this year’s best fitness class and best niche fitness studio) takes the top prize again this year. Malecki was living in Charlotte, North Carolina, working as a commodities trader when she signed up for a trial class with MADabolic. Shortly thereafter, she moved to Charlottesville to open the company’s first franchise location. Her high-intensity workouts keep clients coming back stronger than ever. In the runner-up spot, Justin Tooley gets recognition for squats, deadlifts and bench presses at his McIntire Plaza spot, The Gym.
NICHE FITNESS STUDIO
MADabolic
Runner-up: FlyDog Yoga
Honorable mention: CrossFit Charlottesville
If you’re headed to a fitness studio, you want to see results. Happily, that’s the goal at MADabolic, too. An athletic conditioning program that emphasizes interval training from its studio near the IX Art Park, MADabolic’s intervals switch daily to produce a unique workout that clients won’t get tired of—and will give them long- lasting results. In second place, FlyDog Yoga offers a variety of yoga classes from its studio in the Millmont Shops.
Gordon Emery. Photo: Keith Alan Sprouse
MARTIAL ARTS SCHOOLCharlottesville Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Don’t panic
Charlottesville Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu’s lesson in self defense
At Charlottesville Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, owner Gordon Emery and his fellow instructors teach 24 classes to about 200 students each week, in the martial arts styles of jiu-jitsu—which is most popular—as well as Muay Thai and Krav Maga. But martial arts aren’t just for people who want a black belt. The skills it teaches can help save your life.
We asked Emery to demonstrate how to defend yourself if an attacker were to push you up against a wall and attempt to strangle you. However you react, the first step, says Emery, is, “Don’t panic.”
Step 2: Reach upward to the attacker’s fingers with both of your hands. Locate the easiest finger and grab it with one hand.
Step 3: With your other hand, secure the attacker’s wrist by grabbing onto it.
Step 4: Bend the attacker’s finger back to his forearm and straight down.
Step 5: Remove yourself from the situation and get help.
Runner-up: Laughing Dragon Kung Fu
Honorable mention: 7 Tigers Taekwondo and Hapkido
BIKING TRAIL
Walnut Creek Park
Runner-up: Rivanna Trail
Honorable mention: Observatory Hill
Get out your good legs and a tuned-up ride. Cyclists beyond beginner level will be aptly challenged on a trail system that leaves you pumped out and breathless by serving up a jostle of roots and ruts with multiple ways to connect throughout Walnut Creek Park. While designed for hiking, runner-up Rivanna Trail is a combination of smooth paveways and well-worn paths that fill up quickly on the weekends with dog walkers, tikes on training wheels, joggers and dodgers on mountain bikes.
Photo: Matteus Frankovich/Skycladap
KIDS’ PARK IX Art Park
Free for all
No idea is off limits at IX Art Park
If you’ve never been to IX before, here’s what you need to know to enjoy it: nothing. It’s an art park, and what is art if not open for interpretation? That’s what makes it a great place for kids both big and small. The space ignites imagination. But, in case you’re more of a realist, we asked the park’s executive director, Brian Wimer, to tell us what each exhibit is all about.
“Blastoff” by Eric Cross and Chicho Lorenzo
A true creative collaboration. Chicho took Eric’s suggestion seriously to stick a space shuttle on a tree trunk. It helps to have welder Brady Pisha working nearby in the IX art studios…and Oliver Kuttner’s cherry picker.
“Head of Zeus” by Christian Breeden
Originally featured in the film Pyrometheus. Christian was one of the first instigators in the Art Park, bringing the Burning Man ethos of participation and play to Charlottesville (not shown).
“Hands Together” mural by Ross McDermott and Avery Lawrence
This mural by the Charlottesville Mural Project predates the Art Park, but helped put IX on the map for ambitious, large-scale public art (not shown).
“Piano Stairs” by Katherine Sigman and Susan Krischel
Play is a key Art Park principle. With some creativity and a couple cans of black and white paint, a disused staircase became one of the park’s first and most used attractions (not shown).
“Dream Big” mural by Chicho Lorenzo
“Dream big” is the park’s motto, an invitation to indulge possibility. This 15,000-square-foot mural replaced the park’s original “Art Invasion” graffiti mural.
“Labyrinth” by Chicho Lorenzo and Brian Wimer
Bernie McCabe’s original “Dream Big” maze was all but walked-off. The new labyrinth is the center of what will become a wall-to-wall mandala, filling the entire courtyard with color for contemplation.
“Music Pipes” by John Rubino
Perhaps the most participatory piece in the park. Each pipe is tuned to a note so anyone can bang out a tune, satisfying the park’s promise to stimulate the senses, including sound.
“Nest” by Katarzyna Borek
Katarzyna makes nests—this is perhaps her biggest. The geodesic dome underneath the nest was on the playa at Burning Man, at the Polish sausage party where Kuttner and I first discussed the possibility of the park.
“Zen Lifeguard” by Brian Wimer
One of the many ways to sit at the park. A lifeguard chair in a sandbox…and an open invitation to David Hasselhoff.
“Unicorn Bikeboat” by Chicho Lorenzo
What’s to say? It’s Chicho being Chicho. Magic happens when you have an artist in residence.
“Before I Die” wall by Candy Chang
An invitation to indulge your life’s dreams. Cleaned every week, this interactive chalkboard quickly fills with wishes, wants and bucket lists.
“Express Yourself” Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression
This mobile monument travels occasionally. Another 3-D opportunity for free-spirited speech, like the chalk monument on the Downtown Mall.
“Byron’s Telescope” by Joseph Schepps
Experiential art. This steampunk sideshow piece is actually a time portal. You climb in, bells ring and then you see God (if you are so inclined).
“Second Stream” by Brian Wimer
Placemaking is about perception. What if a street becomes a stream? A dozen community members helped make this possibility a reality.
“Love Butt” by Kurt Braunohler
Braunohler was hauling ass across country with Comedy Central. He asked for a place to park his butt. Charlottesville gave him such a great reception he decided to bring back the butt after the tour (not shown).
“Circle Swing” by Brian Wimer (swings made by Cloud Cabin Arts)
Shade, seating and the context for conversation—this is how you build community. One swing at a time.
“Pollocks Path and Meadow” by Devin Floyd
Floyd, from the Center for Urban Habitats, devised this walkable wonderland of native flora and fauna—what would have grown and thrived 500 years ago on the banks of the stream is now buried in a pipeline under IX.
Runner-up: Pen Park
Honorable mention: Greenleaf Park
SWIMMING HOLE
Blue Hole
Runner-up: Walnut Creek Park
Honorable mention: Chris Greene Lake
Once a clandestine place to skinny dip, the climb to Blue Hole (just up from the Sugar Hollow Reservoir) is now populated with families, canines and athletes. No longer a destination for swingers after the legendary rope swing was cut down, the natural swimming pool is still our hottest place to cool down. The trucked-in sand, shallow entry point and shady shelters make Walnut Creek Park another favorite spot for a group picnic or family staycation.
GENERAL PRACTITIONER
Katharine DeGeorge
Runner-up: Annika Abrahamson
Honorable mention: Greg Gelburd
There was a time when a doctor visit meant he was coming by to check on you and it was best if you had a pot of tea or a spot of sherry on hand. These days it’s hard to romanticize the waiting room and health care system tango, but getting a hold of your health with Dr. Katharine DeGeorge makes it all seem easy. Annika Abrahamson’s nurturing bedside manner and expertise make her a repeat favorite as the one to call when you’re feeling poorly.
DERMATOLOGIST
Anna Magee
Runner-up: Deborah Elder
Honorable mention: Bridget Bryer
The porcelain skin, the Irish lilt—it’s easy to see why readers voted for Anna Magee this year. When it comes to skin care and keeping our community looking fabulous, she leads by example at Charlottesville Dermatology. Deborah Elder, at the same practice, solves all your skin squabbles, from acne to varicose veins.
CHIROPRACTOR
Cox Chiropractic Clinic
Runner-up: Sam Spillman
Honorable mention: Tate Huffman
The love for an effective chiropractor cannot be underestimated. With nearly 40 years of thorough examination and attentive treatment under its belt, repeat winner Cox Chiropractic Clinic bends over backward, while assisting you to do the same through regular adjustments, acupunture, physical therapy and more. Runner-up Sam Spillman uses research, therapeutics and modifications to keep you in balance from his Preston Avenue office.
Photo: Cramer Photo
PEDIATRICIANPaige Perriello
Baby talk
Paige Perriello says one size doesn’t fit all
It’s no secret that your child is amazing. And pediatrician Paige Perriello is among the first to confirm that fact. She also knows that, as a parent, you have questions. Lots of them. Which makes sense, seeing as you’re responsible for a human being and all. According to Perriello, the best thing you can do to keep from getting overwhelmed by the enormous 24/7 job you’ll have for the next, uh, forever, is to choose a pediatrician you trust to help you along the journey.
Pediatricians are “trained in the comprehensive care of children from birth until age 18—or 19, 20, 21, 22…usually through the college years,” she says. And during every one of those years, you’ll have dozens of questions: How can I get my baby to sleep through the night? What’s the best way to discipline my toddler? How do I know that my child is getting a healthy diet? How much screen time is too much screen time?
When we posed these questions to Perriello, who works at Pediatric Associates (the practice her father, Vito, founded), she told us “every newborn, child and family is different, therefore the answers to those questions differ slightly for each family.” She says she likes to “take what I know about a family’s background and experiences and align that with the best and most current evidence-based pediatric knowledge to work together with them to make a plan that suits them.”
Sleep, for example, is something that comes up frequently in the first two years—and sometimes even in later years. “The so-called ‘cry it out’ method, popularized by sleep expert Dr. Richard Ferber, works if done correctly, but it is not the method that is most comfortable for everyone,” Perriello says. So she adheres to “core principles with each family: having a routine, knowing the goal amount of sleep for their infant or child, getting parents or extended family on the same page, making a plan and then sticking to it.” If, however, the plan’s not working, schedule a visit with Perriello. And while you’re there, you’ll probably have a few more questions.
Runner-up: Alaina Brown
Honorable mention: Carol Boersma and Greg Gelburd (tie)
EYE DOCTOR
Blue Ridge Ophthalmology
Runner-up: Primary Eyecare
Honorable mention: Drs. Record & Record
Plus two, minus four, OD, OU—what’s it all mean? Spectacles are a nice fashion accessory (especially if you’re going for the sexy librarian look), but if you require them for daily function, you need to get your numbers straight. The experts at Blue Ridge Ophthalmology will look you in the eyes and make it all crystal clear with routine exams and assistance in everything from cataracts to diabetic retinopathy. In the No. 2 spot, Primary Eyecare sees you through the prescription process and offers an on-site optical boutique that’s handy for setting you up with a second set of eyes.
HALL OF FAME
David and Rebecca Swett
Headed to the dentist? No frowns here! Normally, we wouldn’t feel envious. But a trip to see David and Rebecca Swett isn’t your typical visit to the tooth doctor. In fact, some patients have likened the atmosphere to that of a day spa. The Swetts are not only committed to your dental health—from root canals to halitosis—but they’re also interested in promoting a healthy view of dentistry in general, so they keep their office environment calming and their procedures as pain-free as possible. The result? We’re all smiles.
ACAC
When Phil Wendel opened Atlantic Coast Athletic Club in 1984 (in a former Safeway grocery store on the corner of Hydraulic Road and Route 29), he had two goals: Keep it clean and keep it open. Once he had both of those down, the mission morphed. Health and wellness should be available to everyone—not just bodybuilders and bikini models. More than 30 years later, ACAC members total around 60,000 across its locations in Charlottesville, Richmond and West Chester, Pennsylvania, with more than 20,000 of those in our city alone. Safe to say it’s sticking around.
Runner-up:
ACAC
200 Four Seasons Dr.
978-7523
111 Monticello Ave.
984-3800
Albemarle Square Shopping Center
978-3800
1015 Heathercroft Cir., Suite 100 (Crozet)
817-2055 acac.com
Bum. Derriere. Booty. No matter how you shake it (or stretch it, for that matter), it’s clear that readers go to TruPilates for one thing: to shape up their behinds. Owner Robin Truxel and her team of instructors have been working to increase flexibility, improve athletic performance, and, yes, tone up rumps for eight years. At ACAC, find more than 30 Pilates class offerings per week between the gym’s three locations.
200 Four Seasons Dr. 978-7523 111 Monticello Ave. 984-3800 Albemarle Square Shopping Center 978-3800 1015 Heathercroft Cir., Suite 100 (Crozet) 817-2055 acac.com
Runner-up:
Zumba at ACAC
At ACAC, the athletic conditioning classes led by Chris Collins and Blaise Spinelli are heavily attended—and with good reason. Both instructors deliver a cross-training workout jam-packed with ways to make you sweat. Also at ACAC, Zumba (the Latin-inspired, dance-heavy cardio class) shimmies into second place.
Kelly Cox first found yoga in graduate school as a way to deal with a demanding schedule. In 2010, she combined her love of the practice with her experience as a social worker, and cofounded Bend yoga studio on the Downtown Mall. At Ashtanga, which opened in 2005, Jennifer Elliott relays 20 years of yoga teaching and 30 years of yoga practice to eager students.
What’s Kelly passionate about in Charlottesville?
1. Bikram Yoga Charlottesville. Lizzie Clark is an amazing soul and walking in feels like home, every time.
2. Driving to Nelson County on a Sunday. Beautiful scenery, wineries, breweries, sitting outside all day, it’s perfection.
3. Gazpacho at Eppie’s. It’s the best lunch in town.
4. O’Suzannah. My go-to for gifts. I’ve always thought she should open a store just like it for men, its way too hard to buy gifts for guys.
5. City Market. I don’t get to go as often as I would like but love how it has grown in the nine years I have been here. I would love to see it find a permanent, year round home. A Saturday stroll to the market is one of my favorite dates with my husband.
All the best things come in threes. At least, that’s true of ACAC, with locations in Downtown Charlottesville, Crozet, and Albemarle Square to maximize your access to fitness. The wellness center offers everything from yoga and Pilates to swimming and raquet sports. Plus, there’s a spa. (There has to be some reward for all that hard work.) Just off Rte. 250, CrossFit is gathering its own loyal following, with small-group, semi-private classes that emphasize using your own body’s biomechanics (and not machinery) to achieve lofty fitness goals.
Runner-up:
McGuffey Park
Corner of Second Street NW and Jefferson Street
What’s a three-letter word for fun that isn’t “fun”? Pen. As in, Pen Park. Readers say it’s the best place for kids to play around, and no wonder—its 280 acres boasts eight tennis courts, a Little League baseball field, volleyball court, outdoor picnic shelters, and a playground with an area especially for littler little ones. Downtown, McGuffey Park makes a great place to stop after a trip to the library or adjacent art gallery.
There are many benefits to running the women’s 4-miler (supporting UVA’s Breast Care Program, improving your health and stamina), but perhaps the most interesting component of the Labor Day weekend run is its training program, which begins two months before the 4-miler and ensures your readiness for the big day. Plus, you meet a slew of interesting women all working toward the same goal. The Charlottesville 10-miler, which began 38 years ago, takes second place.
