Disclosure: I was part of the official blogger team for this race in 2017, which comes with a free entry. (I had actually already registered, so they graciously allowed me to give my entry to another runner.)

Yes, I really did get a DNF. I'm also totally going back next year, and will sign up as soon as registration opens.

The Foot Levelers Blue Ridge Marathon 2017 included a half marathon, marathon, double marathon, marathon relay, 10k, and family one mile run. Marathon participation is capped based on the requirements of the permits for state and federal park areas. If I remember correctly, the overall participation this year was around 2,400 people. That's not very big for a race, but sizeable enough to feel like An Event.

The pre-race communication was great. The website was updated regularly, the team was responsive on facebook. Emails were not too frequent, and only contained relevant information. The race had an app that is better than the app for most races I've run. The app was at least ten times better than the one for the large international music race series, as well as the one for the women's race series with all the boas and tiaras. I left the notifications on and knew promptly when ANY change happened during race weekend. I also saw reminders for pre-race events (e.g. Thursday party, Friday free shake-out run, etc.).

The race training program (extra fee, but very inexpensive) included a "virtual" option, which had a "flatlander" plan for those of us without easy access to mountains. The virtual option also had weekly emails and a facebook group for questions and feedback. I didn't stick to the plan--one mistake I won't make next year--but I was glad I did part of it and listened to the advice!

The expo size reflects the size of the race; a race with 2,400 people does not demand an entire shopping mall. Packet pickup was smooth and fast. There were a few vendors and some booths for other races, as well as booths with swag from the race sponsors and a video booth. The expo also had a selection of BRM specific gear, Skratch tasting, and KT Tape application; there were also non-race items such as BUFF headgear, Honey Stinger waffles and other nutrition, and the types of items runners might accidentally forget to pack.

Swag. The shirts are race-specific and gender-specific. This year they were a super, super soft material and nice colors. Per usual, I ordered a size up as the women's sizes of running gear always fit small. This is a shirt I will wear again because it is cozy and looks nice. Every runner also received a pair of socks (of the appropriate size!) from Farm to Feet. Other swag I picked up included a Foot Levelers drawstring tote (nice design, too!) and pen (with a flexible flower at the top), a cowbell from sponsor Anthem, and a cooling tie from sponsor Carrillon. While technically not swag, the race also features FREE race photos. Runners also get beer at the finish line and discounted tickets to the evening concert on Saturday.

Pasta Dinner. Hands down the BEST pasta dinner I've attended. (There is an attendance limit, so get tickets early.) The pasta dinner was at the library, overlooking the ampitheatre, so you could eat and enjoy the concerts. In addition two a chicken pasta dish and a beef pasta dish, there were also options for vegetarians (100% vegetarian spinach pesto bowties, on demand!, hand carried up from the catering truck), and gluten-free options (two to choose from!). Dinner included salad, bread, amazing brussel sprouts, dessert bars, lemonade, iced tea, and beer. After dinner, the race director and some of the crew hosted a chat and course walk-through, and Chuck Engel gave some remarks. If you are coming from out of town or this is your first time at this race, DEFINITELY do the pasta dinner. The course remarks were helpful.

Start/Access. Getting to Roanoke, my friend and I road-tripped down from the metro DC area (and we probably will next year, so we can visit more wineries). You can fly into Roanoke, but for west-coasters it's very expensive. I stayed at the Hampton Inn downtown which is basically a brand new hotel, and walked to the starting line. There was food for purchase (I had eaten at the Hampton) and free coffee for runners. I understand there was plenty of nearby parking. Everything was very easy to find. The "ask us!" information people were walking around on stilts in brightly colored costumes, and were also easy to find. The corrals were self-seeded, and the marathon, half, and 10k had a common start. (The marathon double had an early start at midnight or 1 a.m., as doublers had to finish their first lap through the course in time to start with us at 7:35 a.m.) There was plenty of room in the corrals, and people were generally pretty nice.

THIS COURSE IS HARD! When they bill the race as "America's Toughest Road Race" they aren't kidding around. The course has very few flat areas, and you spend the majority of the time ascending or descending one of three mountains. The total elevation change is 7,430' and it is NOT evenly spread throughout the course. If you do not train on hills, or take the flatlander hills approach (ascend using treadmills, descend using stairs/parking garage/other substitute) you will kill yourself on this course.

THIS COURSE IS GORGEOUS!! All of the hills reward you with great views. Even on a cloudy day like this year, even with some fog, even in the rain.

This course has amazing course support. Roanoke, VA has a population of under 100,000 and you'd swear they were all out on the course doing something. An army of 600 volunteers stocked the 17 aid stations along the marathon course. Yes, 17 aid stations! All aid stations had water and Skratch. Since this is a tougher race, I appreciated the higher-quality electrolyte drink (Skratch). Aid stations at the tops of the peaks also had a variety of food. I recall frosted cookies, pretzels, gummy bears, and donuts. There is a mimosa "aid" station, and Peakwood (the last mountain) has champagne at the top. There were loads of people at the start/finish and closer to town cheering, but naturally not as many cheerleaders (except at aid stations) on the hilly, forested parts of the course.

This year, it rained during the race. Since it was otherwise warm (I'd estimate mid to high 70s) and humid, the rain was actually refreshing. Unfortunately, later in the day there was both lightning and a tornado in a nearby county, and the race director--in consultation with local police and EMTs, as well as a flock of professional meteorologists--made the tough decision to close the course and cancel the race. At that point, every runner had to decide whether to (a) DNF and get on the bus, or (b) continue running at their own risk, knowing the aid stations would all be closed and there would be no one giving directions or assisting with crossing intersections. The sweep buses took the bib numbers for everyone still running (race no longer responsible for them) and those on the bus (race delivering them safely home) to make sure all runners were accounted for.

When the course was closed, I was at mile 17 and running almost alone. That's 9+ miles left of the race, on a course I don't know, with the entire third ascent ahead of me, in the rain (and wet shoes with a blistering foot); even with a full bottle of fluid and snacks in my Orange Mud vest pack, I wasn't sure I could complete the course without aid. I made the tough decision to get on the bus, which returned us to the start/finish area. My co-bus-ers were likewise bummed not to finish--especially those doing the double, who had run 40+ miles already--but we had fun chatting.

As the bus I was on hit the finish area, it started to pour down rain. The volunteers at the gear truck were still there guarding the gear. The volunteers breaking down the runner food tent offered me bottled water, chocolate milk, and cans of soda. The race director was still at the finish line, waiting to shake hands with any runner who crossed. (There were a decent number of runners who had reached mile 20 or further by the time the race was called who had decided to finish anyway. Oh, and even with all those hills, the top runners finished around 3 hours.)

The storm passed and the evening's concerts went on as planned. (I, on the other hand, slept through them.)

Overall, I LOVED this race. It's one of the top races I have run, and one of the best marathons I've tried. Yes, I DNF and I was sore for days afterwards (did I mention the course has hills?) but I cannot wait for next year! The entire town of Roanoke was so friendly, from runner discounts at some restaurants and shops to the hotel welcoming me with a runner goodie bag. (Speaking of restaurants, everything I ate was delicious. So many choices for what is, to me, a small town!) Every time I thanked a volunteer--such as those who were stationed at a turn, flagging the direction, and getting soaked in the rain--they thanked ME for coming to run.

You can read all the reviews here on BibRave and on various other marathon review sites and see that the vast majority of them are 5-star reviews with lots of superlatives. You can listen to people talk about how this started out as a bucket-list race for them but then became an annual event. You can hear the love in people's voices when they talk about this race. I don't think you will really "get it" until you come run it.