Previously a small local event, Jackson River has more than doubled its marathon entries this year to 142 with runners coming in from all over the country for what may be the first available race that has not been canceled due to Covid19. I've seen Berlin Marathon hats, Boston Qualifier shirts and Revel-BOS luggage tags in this remote little town in the Allegheny highlands, a special breed that will travel any distance to run a race.
Everything about this race was fantastic, the race director, communications, social distancing protocol and the course itself. The Jackson River Scenic trail is a green tunnel of foliage that runs alongside the river the whole way out and back so the course was shady the entire time. The trail is hard packed crushed gravel the width of a railroad path. I met runners from all over who were just ecstatic to be there. The temperature was actually not bad for a summer race, but it was very humid throughout. I ran this race at an easy pace and am happy with my slow time since I havent trained much during the quarantine. Afterwards I cooled off in the Jackson River at Humpback Bridge and visited the Falling Spring Waterfall