• http://www.sweat-junkie.com/2013/04/blue-ridge-marathon-recap.html
• http://www.runningbecauseican.com/epic-im-going-there/
• http://missabbyontherun.blogspot.com/2013/04/blue-ridge-half-marathon-blue-ridge.html
• http://healthyincville.wordpress.com/2013/04/22/blue-ridge-marathon-april-20th-2013/
• http://ecline262.blogspot.com/2013/04/2013-blue-ridge-marathon.html
• http://teaberrytrails.blogspot.com/2013/04/blue-ridge-half-i-did-it.html
• http://japodrunner.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-americas-toughest-road-marathon.html
• http://runningmarathonmom.blogspot.com/2013/04/americas-toughest-road-marathon.html
• http://shiawaselife.wordpress.com/2013/04/20/recap-2013-blue-ridge-half-marathon/
• http://turkeyrunner.blogspot.com/2013/04/blue-ridge-half-marathon-race-review.html
• https://imchasingpavement.wordpress.com/2013/04/27/my-very-1st-full-marathon-experience-its-a-good-one/
• http://www.mywodkitchen.com/conquering-the-blue-ridge-marathon-dh-day-20/
• http://themanyshadesofgray.blogspot.com/2013/04/my-first-marathon.html
• http://mrandmrsmarathon.blogspot.com/2013/04/blue-ridge-marathon-americas-toughest.html
• http://2012milesforlife.blogspot.com/2013/04/i-passed.html?m=1
• http://wvhillrunner.blogspot.com/2013/04/blue-ridge-half-marathon-2013.html
• http://jacysfitnessblog.blogspot.com/2013/04/half-marathon-5-blue-ridge-half-marathon.html
• http://running4fromlife.blogspot.com/2013/04/blue-ridge-marathon-recap-part-1.html
• http://running4fromlife.blogspot.com/2013/04/blue-ridge-marathon-recap-part-2.html
• http://turnerlifearound.blogspot.com/2013/04/blue-ridge-half-marathon-131-13.html
• http://bookladywalker.wordpress.com/2013/04/25/americas-toughest-road-marathon-revisited-foot-levelers-blue-ridge-marathon/
• http://runners.livejournal.com/5471905.html
• http://pandce.proboards.com/thread/168140/long-blue-ridge-half-recap
• http://reactionjackson.wordpress.com/2013/04/24/blue-ridge-half-marathon/
• http://cardioholicsanonymous.blogspot.com/2013/04/2013-blue-ridge-half-marathon.html

In light of the events in Boston, the Roanoke Police Department in partnership with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies will be taking additional security precautions at this year’s Blue Ridge Marathon. The security precautions consist of a highly visible law enforcement presence, use of explosives detection K-9s, implementation of crowd screening stations at various locations, as well as a variety of other safety measures. The enhanced security plan was implemented out of caution in order to create the safest environment possible for the public, volunteers and participants of this event.

The goal of your law enforcement community is to provide an enjoyable experience for all race participants, volunteers, sponsors and spectators. However, in order to maximize the safety of the public we need your support. Please review the following security related items:

• Street Closed Maps – Downtown, South Roanoke and Old Southwest (multiple page document)
• Street Closures and No Parking Map for Downtown
• Other no parking areas

Bags, Back Packs. Large Purses and Packages: Bags and packages may be subject to inspection in certain designated locations in and around the event site. It is recommended that you avoid bringing bags or back packs to the event, which are large, have multiple compartments, or are otherwise difficult to access. If a bag is necessary it should be large enough to hold only the essential items you will need for the event. Do not leave any bags or packages unattended. If you locate an unattended bag or package please report it to your nearest law enforcement officer or race volunteer.

Parking: The no parking zone around the event will be setup Friday afternoon. Any vehicles parked in the no parking zone will be subject to tow at the owner’s expense. Park only in designated areas.

Suspicious Activity: If you observe any suspicious activity along the race route please report it immediately to the nearest law enforcement officer or race volunteer.

Items for Runners: It has been a common practice of some runners to pre-position energy drinks, food, and other comfort items along the race course. We ask that you refrain from this practice since a hidden innocuous item can easily be mistaken for a threat.

Sincerely,

Chris Perkins
Chief of Police
540-853-2203

What this means is that a section of the course (full marathon miles 22.25-25, half miles 9-11) are in accessible due to the tiny detail of needing to cross a low water bridge.  As a result, this two mile section is being re-routed.

If you look at the revised Course Map, you will see the new route (we call Flood Route) highlighted in purple. Everything will be well marked and course marshals will be there to keep you on course.  In looking at the map you will notice two some-what confusing areas (noted on the map as Figure 8 Turns). Essentially these turns are designed to get you from one traffic side of a main road to the other.  You will exit the main road, loop under the bridge, and then get back on the same main road, but in the opposite travel lane.  With regards to the first Figure 8 Turn…after you’ve cross under the bridge you will hop a curb and cross through 10 feet of grass, then back onto pavement…please be careful hopping the curb.

This route change does not affect team relay transitions – it only affects the route Leg 5 runs.

Please stop by our Runner Info table at Friday’s registration to talk about the route change in more detail.

So, why does this make the BRM more difficult?  Well, this route change adds about 206 feet of elevation change to both the full and half courses. The full marathon will now be 7,440′ of elevation change and the half will be 2,734′ of elevation change.

ROANOKE, Va. –

In light of the events in Boston, Roanoke Police are increasing their already strong police and emergency presence to include additional officers, emergency personnel, and assistance from the Virginia State Police.

For additional information please contact Police Chief Perkins (540.853.2203) or the Roanoke Police Department (540.853.2212).

So here is what we’re seeing…

On Friday we’ll have some rain, but it should clear up well before the start of the race, leaving you with a cooler (slightly breezy), dry race day. Temperatures will depend on when the rain front pushes out of the area but should top out around 60 degrees.

With that said…

Many of you have noticed that the low-water bridge along the course (mile 22.5) has been closed due to flooding a few times in the past week.  The ground is extremely saturated with water, which means any new rain isn’t soaked up and instead runs off into the river. We’ll be making the decision on whether to alter the course in the next day or so. We’ll post updates here.  Right now the bridges are open, but we’re uncertain how the upcoming rain will affect river levels. Any changes will affect miles 9-12 (half) and miles 22-25 (full).

Regardless of which course we use, we will be marking the course pavement on Thursday, which means that any major rain on Friday could affect the course markings…but never fear as we will also have signs marking the course too.

    

Fink’s Jewelers has been a Blue Ridge Marathon sponsor since day one.  And with their help we’re pleased to provide the overall winners of the full marathon a Tag Heuer watch.

Ladies’ Winning Tag Heuer
Tag Heuer women’s Formula 1 white ceramic dial with diamond bezel, quartz movement, and steel and white ceramic bracelet.
Retail value $2800

Mens’ Winning Tag Heuer
Tag Heuer men’s 39mm two-tone Aquaracer with 18kt gold and stainless steel bezel and bracelet, and Swiss quartz movement.
Retail value $2100

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About Fink’s Jewelers
Family owned and operated since 1930, Fink’s Jewelers is committed to exceptional quality, service and selection. We proudly offer the industries’ finest Swiss timepieces such as Rolex, Cartier, TAG Heuer, Breitling, and the hottest designer jewelry fashions from David Yurman, John Hardy, Mikimoto pearls and much more! Come into any of our 14 locations and discover why Fink’s Jewelers is one of the country’s “Top 50″ jewelers. Visit us online at finks.com.

Here is our tentative schedule – we’re still working out a few kinks!

We’ll meet at Vic Thomas Park (behind Black Dog Salvage) for a leisure run along the Roanoke River Greenway.  This is part of the marathon course, but we’ll be running it backwards from mile 24.  This event is free and open to all…even if you aren’t running the Blue Ridge.

• When:   7:00am – Friday, April 19
• Where:  Vic Thomas Park (map/directions)

For all you Twitter users…follow @BRM26pt2 and @bartyasso, and use hashtag #runblueridge.

This past fall we learned that not only was Bill Rodgers returning to the Foot Levelers Blue Ridge Marathon, but that Frank Shorter would be joining him. We were ecstatic that both these legendary runners would be joining us in April. And then, just when we thought it couldn’t get any better…along comes Bart Yasso.  Well, when we learned that all three of these legendary runners would be blessing us with their presence we wanted to find a way to let them interact as much as possible with the runners. So we hatched the idea of our Run With The Legends contest.

With the Run With The Legends contest, two lucky runners will join these three legendary runners as part of their 5-person relay team – together they will tackle America’s Toughest Road Marathon.

Our committee of judges have narrowed down the entries and shipped them off to Shorter, Rodgers, and Yasso who will make the final selection.  Winners will be announced February 20.  Below is a slideshow of the finalists.

via The Weather Channel…

With the cancellation of the New York Marathon this weekend in the wake of Superstorm Sandy, thousands of runners scrambled to find alternate races to enter. They’re likely to find plenty, as fall offers perhaps the year’s best conditions for running – and loads of marathons on the calendar across the country.

“The satisfaction and achievement people feel is magnified on these difficult courses. It changes people’s lives.” – Jeff Galloway

Many will seek out the flattest courses, but we wanted to know, what are the toughest races? We talked with some of the sport’s best-known experts to get their thoughts – Bart Yasso, the chief running officer of Runner’s World magazine; Jeff Galloway, a U.S. Olympian who pioneered run-walk-run training; John Bingham, the author of “The Penguin Chronicles” column for Runner’s World as well as several books on running; and Jenny Hadfield, a running coach and Runner’s World columnist.

The answers include places with jaw-dropping scenery and daunting hills, starting with the>>>

I’ve seen Flat Bart around – on Facebook, on Twitter, in my dreams.

Well, I wouldn’t take it that far, but Flat Bart is just that – a flat paper version of Bart Yasso, the Chief Running Officer for Rodale, the publisher of Runner’s World Magazine.

Do an Internet search for “Flat Bart” and you’ll see all the places he’s been. You can even find out how to create your own.

But did you know that Flat Bart paid a recent visit to the Blue Ridge Marathon course?

I gave Flat Bart a tour of many parts of the course over the weekend. Check out some of the highlights.

I think he had a good time. He kept that same smile in all the photos.

I just hope that the Flat Bart tour was enough to convince Real Bart to pay a visit to Roanoke in April.

For more photos of the Flat Bart tour, visit the Blue Ridge Marathon Facebook page. You can also discover Flat Bart on Twitter by searching for #FlatBart.

David currently resides in Midlothian, Va., but is a native of Bedford who has run the Blue Ridge Half twice. He claims to be brave enough to run the full in 2013.  He is co-moderator of #RunChat, a twice a month Q&A chat on Twitter about running. For more information about #RunChat, visit www.therunchat.com