RUNNING

How Long Was Your Marathon?

Blue Ridge Marathon Race Recap

With friends Selina, Faith, and Kelly at the race expo. We could only find the 26.2 team relay sign! Photo courtesy of Faith H.

Well, my race did not go as planned. It was an act of nature, however, not my lack of athletic prowess that was the demise of this event.

As the forecast for Saturday’s race was finalized, it was apparent that we would get wet. And the radar in the morning showed a strong line of thunderstorms headed toward Roanoke.

As we toed the line to start the race at 7:35 AM, the weather was warm and very humid, while the air was simply stagnant. But as we approached mile 6 toward the crest of Roanoke Mountain, suddenly the weather changed. It became very dark, the wind started picking up, and the rain began. Not just rain, but thunder and lightning.

There was the rain and wind we were promised, as well as a significant, rapid temperature drop.

We were less than a mile from the top when runners ahead of us on this out-and-back section of the course warned us that officials had shut down the event. My running partner and I decided to trudge on to the top, since we were so close, before we made a decision about finishing the race on our own.