June 21 marks the longest day of the year, and locals can enjoy the extra daylight at Carvers Creek State Park for an evening of running and yoga. The Summer Solstice Run and Yoga event will begin at 5:30 p.m. at the Long Valley Farm Access entrance to Carvers Creek.

The event is being held by Somatic Reset, Qualified Wellness and Running Wild Collective — three locally owned businesses dedicated to the wellness of the Fayetteville community.

“This was the brain child of Somatic Reset and Qualified Wellness. They wanted to incorporate a running portion to a yoga event, taking a kind of holistic wellness lens to the whole event and to try to get the outdoor community together,” said Jhovanna Therrien of Running Wild Collective, one of the co-organizers of the event.

Erin Basket from Qualified Wellness and Samantha Ewashko from Somatic Reset round out the team behind the event at Carvers Creek.

“Solstice is a big deal on the west coast and with the yoga community,” said Therrien. “Sam [from Somatic Reset] just moved from California and she wanted to get the yoga community and the running community together. We talked about it and decided on Carvers Creek because it allows for a trail run and a partnership with a Fayetteville State park.”

Participants will begin the evening at 5:45 p.m. with a 1.08 out-and-back walk or run through part of the park’s trails. Once completed, they will join three yoga instructors from the community in 108 sun salutations.
The number 108 is considered auspicious in yoga practices. The number refers to spiritual completion. Rounds of sun salutations are done in nine rounds with 12 postures, equaling 108. The number 108 can be found all throughout the world. The distance between the earth and the sun is 108 times the diameter of the sun. Stonehenge was built 108 feet in diameter.

“It’s not common to do all 108, it depends on your experience with yoga,” said Therrien.

“It is more of a meditative practice, it is a yoga practice.”

After the sun salutations, participants can kick back and chat with each other and the many vendors at the event. California Taco, Smoothie Queen and Tropical Sno Fayetteville will be on hand. Fleet Feet, Triangle Rock Club and Team RWB will also have booths.

“We are all looking forward to connecting more with the wellness community that is so present in Fayetteville,” said Therrien.

“I think it will be a good opportunity to have everyone in one location. I’m just really looking forward to connecting with and bringing people together in one space.”

The solstice run and yoga event will wrap up around 8:30 p.m.

Tickets for the event cost $20 per person or $50 for a family. Send any questions to qualifiedwellness@gmail.com.

Carvers Creek State Park is located at 2505 Long Valley Road in Spring Lake.