Outdoor Recreation

In Virginia’s Blue Ridge, it’s not only exercise, but a lifestyle.

Does it seem like some Roanokers are a bit leaner these days? Hard to find a parking spot near the greenway? More people wearing running shoes everywhere? Over the past two decades, as the greenway system grew and more outdoor events came online, the mindset here among all ages has taken a turn towards better health and the outdoors.

Witness 2020, when the coronavirus had many heading to wide-open spaces – hiking, paddling, walking, running and biking. Roanoke County Parks, Recreation and Tourism Director Doug Blount told the Board of Supervisors last summer that local retail outfitters were even having trouble keeping up with the demand for equipment. It also seemed like there were more floaters, tubers and paddlers on the Roanoke River – the blueway if you will – than ever before. Some of that increased activity has been generated by two major events – one more than a decade old, the other still technically brand-new.

The Blue Ridge Marathon – “America’s Toughest Road Marathon” – and several shorter races (and oh yeah, a double full marathon with limited entry slots) is set for April 17 this year after being canceled, except for virtual runs, in 2020. The BRM now typically attracts more than 2,500 runners from dozens of states and a smattering of countries.

The full 26.2-mile marathon includes three big climbs: Mill Mountain, Roanoke Mountain and the Peakwood neighborhood of South Roanoke. The latter comes late in the race (also in the half marathon) when legs may be moving on muscle memory, adding to the mental and physical challenge.

Worth Corn has brought a group with him from the Tallahassee, Florida area several times to run the BRM as part of a relay team. He was all set to do the full one on his own when the pandemic shut down the April 2020 race date. So how do you train for America’s Toughest Road Marathon in a part of the country that’s fairly flat? You find what hills you can and do them over and over again.

“I’m kind of a hill guy anyway,” notes Corn, “as much as you can be here. We have hills [here] – you guys laugh at them.” He found a few good eight to 10 mile runs with “Florida hills,” and did repeats when he could. Of course, with elevation gains that measure in the hundreds of feet – not thousands – it’s not quite the same. He also did some trail running as BRM prep for more variation. His advice for Blue Ridge Marathon first-timers? “Know what you’re getting into,” he chuckles, “educate yourself about America’s toughest race – and do hills where you can.” Even if that means running up and down parking garages to simulate climbs.

Texas Tavern owner Matt Bullington, an ultramarathoner himself, has put together a virtual training regimen available for a small fee via the blueridgemarathon.com website when someone registers for the race. It’s designed for beginners to seasoned marathoners and includes a Facebook Live Q&A every week in the run-up to race day.

“We also realized that there were going to be folks that live at the beach,” says Bullington, whose wife Molly is the BRM race director. In that case “treadmill running is a big part of it,” where it can be set on steeper and steeper inclines. Training your quads and the rest of the body for the long and demanding BRM downhill runs means finding short hills and parking garages at least once or twice a week under Matt Bullington’s flatlander program. “It’s a tailored plan, especially for someone who might be new to running the race.” The bottom line he adds: “run some hills,” before you come to Roanoke (fingers crossed) in April.

Ironman 70.3 Virginia’s Blue Ridge Triathlon – also canceled in 2020 – was a first-time event that remains committed to the Virginia’s Blue Ridge for at least the next three years. “The region has a lot to offer our participants and the entire community has really embraced us throughout the entire planning process,” says Brandt Bernat, Race Director for the Carilion Clinic IRONMAN® 70.3 Virginia’s Blue Ridge triathlon.

The Ironman (1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike ride, a 13.1 mile half marathon in that order) had created a good deal of buzz last year before being postponed to June 6, 2021: non-triathletes getting into pools, buying or renting road bikes, running more miles. The event was expected to attract more than 2500 and those who registered for 2020 could opt to enter this year’s VBR Triathlon – or head for another Ironman (no refunds were offered). Interested? See ironman.com or the link at visitroanokeva.com

There are also relay teams for the Ironman Blue Ridge Triathlon. For those who don’t want to tackle the swim at Carvins Cove, the bike ride and then a half marathon originating from the River’s Edge sports complex all by themselves, back-to-back-to-back. (The National Park Service had given clearance last year to run 20+ miles of the bike course on the Blue Ridge Parkway.)

Runabout Sports Roanoke co-owner Ally Bowersock is offering free training plans for the Ironman. “Since many of our athletes don’t ride as much as they should, to train for this particular event we have a heavy emphasis on the cycling portion, but we do include swimming, running, and cross-training in our plan.” As for when serious workouts should begin: “having a benchmark in your mind of what the weekly training commitment needs to be is an important gauge for where you are now - and where you need to be in January in order to peak in June.”

The final word from race director Brand Bernat: “we feel that this will be a challenging but achievable and rewarding course. Athletes can expect elevation gains that would rank amongst some of the highest elevation gains across the IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 series, globally.”