Come run one of North Carolina’s true gems, the New River Marathon. All four of the New River races trace the banks of the New River, in the heart of North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Ashe County, “The Coolest Corner of North Carolina,” is the stage. Past runners have described it as “unbelievable,” “the most beautiful” and “gorgeous,” and have said “only Big Sur rivals the beauty of the New River course!”
All of the New River races start and finish at the family-owned and -operated Riverside Restaurant, which is perched along the New River just outside the hamlet of Todd. The Riverside, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, hosts the pre-race pasta dinner with its homemade, vegan marinara and has ample room in its surrounding fields for pre-race/weekend camping along the river.
Most of the miles for each of the races follow the easy flow and offer pastoral views of the New River, one of only 14 American Heritage rivers in the United States. The marathon hosts 17 miles along the New River, the half-marathon 9 miles and the 5k 2 miles. For the miles when the races leave the flat New River valley, the hills will remind runners that they are racing in the breathtaking Blue Ridge Mountains.
The overall and age-group awards are local, including hand-turned wooden bowls, ceramic tumblers, gift baskets from North Carolina’s oldest cheese plant, weekend stays at local inns and bed-and-breakfasts, and gift certificates for kayaking, tubing, skiing and much more. Marathon and half-marathon finishers will be awarded with a locally crafted wooden medallion.
Come run, y’all, enjoy some mountain hospitality, and spend the morning, the day or the weekend. The New River Marathon has a race for every age and ability.
Events include the marathon (USATF-certified), half-marathon (USATF-certified pending), 5k, and 1-mile run. For more information, visit www.NewRiverMarathon.com.
