Blue Ridge Marathon on the Parkway
Encyclopedia
The Blue Ridge Marathon is an annual marathon
and half marathon
held in both Roanoke
and Roanoke County
, Virginia
, USA. Officially announced on August 12, 2009, the inaugural event occurred on April 24, 2010. The 26.2 miles (42.2 km) course starts at the Taubman Museum of Art in Downtown Roanoke
and finishes at the Hotel Roanoke
in the Gainsboro neighborhood
. Organizers are anticipating between 500 and 1,000 runners for the inaugural event in 2010, but hope to eventually attract 3,000 to 5,000 as the event grows. The beneficiary of the marathon is the Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway, a group dedicated to the preservation of the Blue Ridge Parkway
.
. From the start, the course turns to the south along Virginia State Route 116
(Jefferson Street) prior to beginning the ascent up Mill Mountain
along Walnut Street. From Mill Mountain, the course continues in a southwesterly course to the Blue Ridge Parkway
, where the ascent up Roanoke Mountain
begins at the 5.5 miles (8.9 km) mark. Following the decent down the mountain, runners reenter the Parkway and make the descent down Mill Mountain near the Mill Mountain Star
. After the descent, runners then wind along the Roanoke River
and through the South Roanoke
, Wasena
and West End neighborhoods
prior to reaching the finish at the Hotel Roanoke
.
in 1985 due to severe flooding resulting from Hurricane Juan
. The marathon returned in 1986, but was discontinued the following year and replaced with an annual half marathon and 5K
. The announcement in August 2009 for the 2010 event marked the return of a marathon to the Roanoke Valley
for the first time since the 1986 event.
Announced on August 12, 2009, by Roanoke representative Bob Goodlatte
, securing a portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway to hold the event involved a bi-partisan effort from congresspersons whose districts the Parkway traverses. In addition to Goodlatte, representatives Rick Boucher
Tom Perriello
, Virginia Foxx
, Patrick McHenry and Heath Shuler
all gave their support to for holding the event. The inaugural, 2010 event is scheduled to coincide with the 75th anniversary of the Blue Ridge Parkway and be included as part of the year-long celebration.
The inaugural race was held on Saturday, April 24, 2010, with 324 runners completing the marathon and 450 completing the half-marathon.
Marathon
The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres , that is usually run as a road race...
and half marathon
Half marathon
A half marathon is a road running event of . It is half the distance of a marathon and usually run on roads. Participation in half marathons has grown steadily recently. One of the main reasons for this is that it is a challenging distance, but does not require the same level of training that a...
held in both Roanoke
Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
and Roanoke County
Roanoke County, Virginia
Roanoke County is a county located in the U.S. state of the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is part of the Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area and located within the Roanoke Region of Virginia. As of the 2000 census, the population was 85,778. As of 2010, the population was 92,376...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, USA. Officially announced on August 12, 2009, the inaugural event occurred on April 24, 2010. The 26.2 miles (42.2 km) course starts at the Taubman Museum of Art in Downtown Roanoke
Downtown Roanoke
Downtown is the central business district of Roanoke, Virginia, United States. Located geographically at the center of the city, Downtown began its development with the completion of the Shenandoah Valley Railroad in 1882...
and finishes at the Hotel Roanoke
Hotel Roanoke
The Hotel Roanoke is a luxury hotel located in the Gainsboro neighborhood of Roanoke, Virginia. Originally built in 1882, the hotel has been renovated many times. It is currently owned by Virginia Tech and operated under the Doubletree Hotels brand...
in the Gainsboro neighborhood
Gainsboro, Roanoke, Virginia
Gainsboro is a Roanoke, Virginia neighborhood located in central Roanoke immediately north of Downtown, across the Norfolk Southern Railway right of way, between Interstate 581 and Orange Avenue. It borders the neighborhoods of Harrison and Gilmer on the west, Washington Park on the north,...
. Organizers are anticipating between 500 and 1,000 runners for the inaugural event in 2010, but hope to eventually attract 3,000 to 5,000 as the event grows. The beneficiary of the marathon is the Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway, a group dedicated to the preservation of the Blue Ridge Parkway
Blue Ridge Parkway
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. It runs for 469 miles , mostly along the famous Blue Ridge, a major mountain chain that is part of the Appalachian Mountains...
.
The Course
The 26.2 miles (42.2 km) course starts at the Taubman Museum of Art in Downtown RoanokeDowntown Roanoke
Downtown is the central business district of Roanoke, Virginia, United States. Located geographically at the center of the city, Downtown began its development with the completion of the Shenandoah Valley Railroad in 1882...
. From the start, the course turns to the south along Virginia State Route 116
Virginia State Route 116
Virginia State Route 116 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. The state highway runs from SR 122 at Burnt Chimney north to SR 101 in Roanoke. SR 116 connects northwestern Franklin County with the southeastern part of Roanoke...
(Jefferson Street) prior to beginning the ascent up Mill Mountain
Mill Mountain
Mill Mountain is a large flat-topped mountain forming the eastern end of Festive Plateau in the Cook Mountains. This mountain was probably sighted by the Discovery expedition under Captain Robert F. Scott, who gave the name "Mount Mill," after British Antarctic historian Hugh Robert Mill, to a...
along Walnut Street. From Mill Mountain, the course continues in a southwesterly course to the Blue Ridge Parkway
Blue Ridge Parkway
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. It runs for 469 miles , mostly along the famous Blue Ridge, a major mountain chain that is part of the Appalachian Mountains...
, where the ascent up Roanoke Mountain
Roanoke Mountain
Roanoke Mountain is a mountain in Virginia. It is located two miles south of the Roanoke River and one mile east of the Blue Ridge Parkway.The summit of Roanoke Mountain may be reached by a one-way loop road which branches off the Blue Ridge Parkway. There are two overlooks on the summit ridge...
begins at the 5.5 miles (8.9 km) mark. Following the decent down the mountain, runners reenter the Parkway and make the descent down Mill Mountain near the Mill Mountain Star
Mill Mountain Star
The Roanoke Star, also known as the Mill Mountain Star, is the world's largest freestanding illuminated man-made star, constructed in 1949 at the top of Mill Mountain in Roanoke, Virginia. It was the largest star ever assembled until the El Paso Star was completed in El Paso, Texas...
. After the descent, runners then wind along the Roanoke River
Roanoke River
The Roanoke River is a river in southern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina in the United States, 410 mi long. A major river of the southeastern United States, it drains a largely rural area of the coastal plain from the eastern edge of the Appalachian Mountains southeast across the Piedmont...
and through the South Roanoke
South Roanoke, Roanoke, Virginia
South Roanoke is a Roanoke, Virginia neighborhood located in southeast Roanoke, surrounded roughly by the Roanoke River to the north and Mill Mountain to the east, centered on Crystal Spring Avenue...
, Wasena
Wasena, Roanoke, Virginia
Wasena is a Roanoke, Virginia neighborhood located in south, central Roanoke bisected by U.S. Route 221 , immediately to the south of the Roanoke River...
and West End neighborhoods
West End, Roanoke, Virginia
West End is a Roanoke, Virginia neighborhood located in central Roanoke south of the Norfolk Southern railyard. It borders the neighborhoods of Hurt Park and Mountain View on the west, Downtown on the east, Gilmer on the north across the Norfolk Southern railyard and Old Southwest on the...
prior to reaching the finish at the Hotel Roanoke
Hotel Roanoke
The Hotel Roanoke is a luxury hotel located in the Gainsboro neighborhood of Roanoke, Virginia. Originally built in 1882, the hotel has been renovated many times. It is currently owned by Virginia Tech and operated under the Doubletree Hotels brand...
.
History
The first marathon held in Roanoke was organized by the local running organization, the Star City Striders, and held in 1983 as the Star City Marathon. The event would be held again in 1984 before being shortened to a half marathonHalf marathon
A half marathon is a road running event of . It is half the distance of a marathon and usually run on roads. Participation in half marathons has grown steadily recently. One of the main reasons for this is that it is a challenging distance, but does not require the same level of training that a...
in 1985 due to severe flooding resulting from Hurricane Juan
Hurricane Juan (1985)
Hurricane Juan was a hurricane that formed in October 1985 and looped twice near the Louisiana coast, causing torrential flooding for several days. Juan was the costliest hurricane of the 1985 Atlantic hurricane season, and at the time was among the costliest of all historical U.S. hurricanes...
. The marathon returned in 1986, but was discontinued the following year and replaced with an annual half marathon and 5K
5000 metres
The 5000 metres is a popular running distance also known as 5 km or 5K in American English. It is one of the track events in the Olympic Games and the World Championships in Athletics. "5000 metres" refers to racing on a track and "5K" usually refers to a roadrace or cross country event...
. The announcement in August 2009 for the 2010 event marked the return of a marathon to the Roanoke Valley
Roanoke Valley
The Roanoke Valley in southwest Virginia is an area adjacent to and including the Roanoke River between the Blue Ridge Mountains to the east and the Appalachian Plateau to the west...
for the first time since the 1986 event.
Announced on August 12, 2009, by Roanoke representative Bob Goodlatte
Bob Goodlatte
Robert William "Bob" Goodlatte is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district is based in Roanoke and also includes Lynchburg, Harrisonburg and Staunton.-Early life, education and career:...
, securing a portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway to hold the event involved a bi-partisan effort from congresspersons whose districts the Parkway traverses. In addition to Goodlatte, representatives Rick Boucher
Rick Boucher
Frederick Carlyle "Rick" Boucher is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1983 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life, education and career:...
Tom Perriello
Tom Perriello
Thomas Stuart Price "Tom" Perriello is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2009 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes much of Southside Virginia and stretches north to Charlottesville....
, Virginia Foxx
Virginia Foxx
Virginia Foxx is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. She is a member of the Republican Party. The district takes in much of the northwestern portion of the state and a portion of Winston-Salem....
, Patrick McHenry and Heath Shuler
Heath Shuler
Joseph Heath Shuler is a businessman, a former NFL quarterback, and the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
all gave their support to for holding the event. The inaugural, 2010 event is scheduled to coincide with the 75th anniversary of the Blue Ridge Parkway and be included as part of the year-long celebration.
The inaugural race was held on Saturday, April 24, 2010, with 324 runners completing the marathon and 450 completing the half-marathon.
Marathon winners
| Year | |Athlete | |Time | Sykes, TimTim Sykes | (VA Virginia The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there... ) |
2:42:17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women's | Karen Ostergaard | (NC North Carolina North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte... ) |
3:30:14 | ||
| 2011 | Men's | Michael Dixon | (NJ New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware... ) |
2:41:26 | |
| Women's | Nicole Terry | (VA Virginia The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there... ) |
3:19:27 |