EVENT PREVIEW – The Second Annual Duke Medicine Tobacco Road Marathon
March 20, 2011
The Second Annual Duke Medicine Tobacco Road Marathon and the Bay Six Tobacco Road Half-marathon are set to go on Sunday, March 20, 2011 in Cary, NC. The Tobacco Road Marathon is the first of its kind in NC to embrace the town of Cary and the scenic country roads of western Wake County as well the American Tobacco Trail.
The marathon features over 20 miles of the American Tobacco Trail and the Half Marathon has over 7 miles on the trail. The American Tobacco Trail is a recreational rail-trail located on an abandoned railroad corridor of the Norfolk Southern Railroad. Both races start and finish at the USA Baseball National Training Complex with the Half-marathon starting at 7:00 am, and the Marathon starting at 7:15 am. The course is fairly flat with a downhill finish and is, once again, expected to result in some fast times. The 2010 marathon male winner finished in 2:25:49 and the female winner stopped the clock at 2:58:43. The men’s winner of the half-marathon finished in 1:15:57 and the top female finished in 1:22:14. The normal average temperature is 50°F. – great running temperature.
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.
The race also has a new logo this year, embraces the (train) tracks to (running) tracks theme of the American Tobacco Trail, which is such a unique and significant part of the course.
