ROANOKE, Va. – Preparations are well underway for America’s toughest road race — the Foot Levelers Blue Ridge Marathon.
Friday, thousands of people will pour into Roanoke as they gear up for the festivities.
Packet pick-up for racers begins Friday from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. while race events kick off at 5:30 a.m. Saturday.
“Oh my gosh! All of it! But mostly just seeing everybody. I think the starting is one of my favorite things, the moment that we start at 7:35 on Saturday morning, it’s always kind of an exciting moment for me,” Roanoke Outside Foundation Event Manager Kait Pedigo said.
Organizers said even though the race is this weekend, they still need volunteers to be course marshals and more.
“Elmwood Park is fantastic, it’s central, it’s downtown, it’s the kind of beating heart of the metro area here. It’s walkable to downtown restaurants, it’s walkable to downtown hotels, the greenway, there’s a lot of people who will come here to watch the runners finish,” Pedigo said.
With the influx of people and the race route moving throughout downtown, road closures will be at the top of people’s minds. Organizers said you should use the Waze app.
“You definitely want to know there are road closures tomorrow. We have signage up, we have flaggers and that kind of thing so maybe take your time, plan ahead, and if you can take the and if you can take the interstate that’s probably the best way to get into downtown,” Pedigo said.
Information on how to volunteer can be found here.