Known for its picturesque course through the rolling hills of southern West Virginia, the Beckley Half Marathon & 5K Run/Walk is one of the state's smaller races, drawing anywhere from 200 to 300 runners over the past few years, and will celebrate its 14th annual running in the fall of 2011.

The 13.1-mile course is hilly and challenging, offering a combination of gently rolling country roads in the areas outside town as well as some significant hills in the second half of the race toward the finish.

From the starting line near the Learning Resource Center at Beckley's Mountain State University on Kanawha Street, the race follows a course that takes runners through downtown and its YMCA soccer complex, as well as along its recently completed rails-to-trails project, a 3.2-mile stretch of converted railroad that is now pedestrian and bicycle paths, complete with covered shelters and marked street crossings.

The finish line for the course, which is run on paved surfaces throughout the race, finishes back at the Learning Resource Center, with a finish line celebration at the Cougar Den buffet and restaurant. While the half-marathon is open to runners only, the 5K welcomes both runners and walkers, and all three races begin at 8:00 AM.


Race Weather & Climate

Located along Interstate 77 in the center of the southern half of the state, the town of Beckley tends to experience mild to cool and sometimes cold weather conditions in the early fall, with relatively rare wet weather. In October, the area's average monthly temperatures range between 62°F and 38°F, with around 2.52 inches of rainfall on average -- making it the town's driest month of the year.


Fees

N/A


Registration

Registration for the Beckley Half Marathon & 5K will be available both on the day before the race, at Mountain State University, and on the day of the race at the event staging area.


Website

www.brccc.com



Half Marathon Course Map





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