You don’t have to be a runner to appreciate the grit and determination it takes to commit to running a 26.2-mile marathon. But if I were a runner, I would take the Greenbrier River Trail over Boston any day. The weather was ideal this past Sunday for those taking part in the 8th Annual GRT Marathon and the 5th annual half-marathon.
Like everything else in Pocahontas County, this marathon is a unique, USATF-certified course on the scenic Greenbrier River Trail. The marathon is a point-to-point course with a 1% downhill grade. These annual events bring runners and supporters from all over the country to enjoy the Mountain State’s stunning scenery and present an entirely different aspect to the Outdoor Recreation Economy, in our region.
The Marathon started at Cass Scenic Railroad State Park and ran south on the GRT, finishing at Stillwell Park, in Marlinton. The half-marathon is not-certified. It started and finished at Stillwell Park.
Proceeds from the race go to maintaining and improving the Greenbrier River Trail and other local athletic activities, through the Greenbrier River Trail Marathon Foundation (501 (C) 3) – non-profit organization.
Talking about trails, did River Trail is a part of another trail? I did not know this until about a month ago. According to Scott at Greenbrier Bikes, an individual stopped in on his way to Key West, Florida.
The roughly 5,950-mile Eastern Divide Trail (EDT) is the longest contiguous off-road bikepacking route in the world. It runs from Sydney, Nova Scotia, the easternmost point in North America, to Key West, Florida, the end of the road going south. I may write more about this next week.
Sam
