Advertised as "America's Toughest Road Marathon", I wanted to "run the Blue Ridge" but didn't want to over commit with my race schedule this year. Thus, this review will be for the 2019 Half Marathon.

First, let me assure you, in my opinion, this race lives up to its name. It was tough. I may have underestimated the challenge but was still glad I took it on. The price you pay in difficult you receive back with the beautiful views. Words cannot describe the scenes. If you need an excuse to stop, snapping a few photos would be an acceptable one.

Other Pros: Roanoke is an wonderful place to visit. While they might not be tons to do if you are more of a city person, I loved the small town feel and enjoyed my quick visit. The race is well managed and spectators were everywhere. Had I stepped up to the Full, I would have had crowd support (and would have needed it). Getting in and out was easy and the alignment of the race with the big concert series was cool. Completely free photos and a solid finisher medal are also worth mentioning, as is the bonus swag (a nice drawstring bag).

Other Cons: Another race with a rather small expo. Maybe my standards are high in this area, but when I can get in and out in less 15 minutes, I think it could be expanded. T-shirts were made with some type of recycled material this year. Good for the environment, but not very breathable in my opinion. It may have been me, but the photo stations didn't quite line up. I got numerous photos coming directly out from a water station, cup in hand =(.