ROANOKE, Va. – From a four-day festival to a welcome party, there are lots of events taking place this weekend for the Blue Ridge Marathon.
More than 2,500 people are signed up for the Blue Ridge Marathon, which has many races.
On Saturday, there’s the Blue Ridge Marathon, which is 26.2 miles. There’s also the Blue Ridge Marathon half, which is 13.1 miles. You can even sign up for the double marathon and the Blue Ridge Relay.
If all of that sounds like a lot, you can participate in what’s called America’s Slowest 5K. You can enjoy a donut, coffee and even goat yoga.
People from 40 different states and three countries are signed up. For the first time, someone from Azerbaijan is participating.
Daniel Kolasa, from Christiansburg, is doing the Blue Ridge Marathon for the first time.
He’s run the Boston, Baltimore and Philadelphia Marathons.
“I love running. I run every day. It’s kind of become a part of my life, so running is incorporated into my life,” said Kolasa.
Kolasa is training by doing a 16-week online program.
Shannon Fitzgerald is also participating in the 10K this weekend.
She ran the 10K last year while pregnant with her daughter.
“It’s very satisfying after going up like all the hills and down the hills, you get to finish in our city like in Downtown Roanoke. The announcers are really good about calling your name and saying like some fun fact about you when you enter the race and it’s fun to have all of your friends cuz it’s not just strangers, it’s people that you know because we’re from Roanoke so it’s everybody who knows you,” said Fitzgerald.
There are lots of events taking place this weekend.
Starting Thursday, there’s the Freedom First by Downtown Festival. The festival is a four-day event that features music and art. A big welcome party kicks off on Friday.
Organizers of the race say they are still looking for volunteers, too.
