March 18, 2012 – Cary, N.C.
The third annual Duke Medicine Tobacco Road Marathon and the Bay Six Tobacco Road Half-Marathon are set to go on Sunday, March 18, 2012, in Cary, N.C. The Tobacco Road Marathon is the first of its kind in North Carolina to embrace the town of Cary and the scenic country roads of western Wake County as well the American Tobacco Trail.
The American Tobacco Trail is a recreational rail-trail located on an abandoned railroad corridor of the Norfolk Southern Railroad. The marathon features more than 20 miles of the American Tobacco Trail and the half-marathon has more than seven miles on the trail. Both races start and finish at the USA Baseball National Training Complex; start time for both races is 7 a.m. The course is fairly flat with a downhill finish and is, once again, expected to result in some fast times. The 2011 marathon male winner finished in 2:24:25 and the female winner stopped the clock at 2:55:40. The men’s winner of the half-marathon finished in 1:09:26 and the top female finished in 1:21:11. The normal average temperature is 50 degrees Fahrenheit, which is a great temperature for running.
Both races are USA Track & Field (USATF) certified and the marathon is a flat and fast Boston-qualifier.
Beneficiaries of the Tobacco Road Marathon and Half-Marathon are the Triangle Rails to Trails Conservancy, the Wounded Warrior Project and the American Red Cross. In past two years , the race donated $10,000 to the Wake County Parks and Recreation, which maintains the Wake County portion of the ATT; $35,000 to the Triangle Rails to Trails Conservancy, which deals primarily with the Chatham County portion of the trail; $20,000 to the American Red Cross; and $22,000 to the Wounded Warriors Project.
The race’s logo and eye-catching medals embrace the (train) tracks to (running) tracks theme of the American Tobacco Trail, which is such a unique and significant part of the course.
This is a must-do race for the beginner marathoner as well as the potential Boston-qualifier.
For more information see the official race website at www.tobaccoroadmarathon.com or email committee@tobaccoroadmarathon.com.
