Who Made It Happen

• 325 volunteers
• 8-person race committee
• More than 30 sponsors
• Local media support
 Quick Overview Summary
• 2/24/09 US Airways Magazine reception
• 3/4/09 officially began permit application
• 4/24/09 meeting with NPS to discuss permit
• 6/1/09 permit submitted to NPS
• 8/12/09 officially opened the marathon to the public
• 1054 runners registered for all 3 events (942 actually ran)
• $20,000 donated to Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway
• Positive feedback from runners
• Very positive feedback from the community
 Where They Came From
• 34 States and London
• 317 runners from outside Virginia
• 625 from VA (207 outside Roanoke/NRV)
 Word of Mouth
• Runners Talk
• A successful first run is crucial to your long-
term success
• Our strategy was to engage the running
community via blogs, social media, and
traditional media to promote the event and
then “pull it off” without any major glitches

We hit it out of the park!

 Running Blogs
• Runners who operate running-themed blogs were
offered free race entries in exchange for
exposure/mentions.
 Print Ads
• Blue Ridge Outdoors (5)
– Circulation of 110K from MD to GA
• Competitor Magazine
– Circulation of 60K in DC, MD, and VA
• Blue Ridge Country
– Circulation of 425K across South and Mid-Atlantic
• The Roanoker
– Circulation of 285K
• Richmond Marathon Guide
• Baltimore Marathon Guide
• Washington Running Report (2)
– Sent to 10K runners in Washington DC
 Print Media Mentions
• Blue Ridge Outdoors
– Received editorial
• Capital Runners Newsletter
• Run Washington
– 10 Must Do Half Marathon list
• USA Today
• Charlotte Observer
• Roanoke Times
• Roanoke Star-Sentinel
• Play By Play Sports
• Blue Ridge Parkway 75
• Old Virginia News
• Asheville Citizen Times
• Richmond Register
• New River Current
• RoanokeOutside.com Get Outside Newsletter
 TV/Radio Mentions
• WFXR
• WSLS
• WDBJ
• WSET
• WFIR
• WVTF
• 101.5 The Planet FM
• Our Blue Ridge
• Cox Communications: My Connection
 Online Mentions
• More than 323,000 websites mention and/or
link to the marathon website
• Wikipedia page
Roanoke Digital Billboards
 Web Ads
• BlueRidgeOutdoors.com
– Banner Ad for two months
• OhioOutside.com
– Banner Ad for two months
• RunWashington.com
– Banner Ad for 80K impressions
• Facebook
– Targeted ads to runners
 Web Stats
• 246,219 visitors (9 month period)
• 943 average visits per day
• 368 inbound links
• 16,649 views on April 24
• Top Referrers – Marathon Guide, Facebook, and Runner’s World
 1307 Facebook Fans
Demographics
• 48% Male, 51% Female
• Ages 18-24 = 3%
• Ages 25-34 = 12%
• Ages 35-44 = 17%
• Ages 45-54 = 11%
• Ages 55+ = 4%

“Besides a one-mile race in 2006, I’m pretty sure I haven’t been a part of any other inaugural
events. I also am rarely impressed by an event until it happens, but so far I like what I’ve seen
from race officials. The communication online through their website, Facebook and Twitter have
been impressive, as well as the media stories I referred to in my post yesterday. I am often
frustrated that races don’t use social media tools to build a buzz around their race. For this being
a smaller race, they’ve already done more than what I’ve seen from Shamrock.”
- David Hylton (Running Because I Can.com)
 1307 Facebook Fans
Demographics
• 20 countries represented
• Top Cities:
1. Roanoke
2. San Antonio
3. Richmond
4. Atlanta
5. Washington DC
6. New York
7. Lynchburg
8. Chicago
9. Raleigh
10. Charlotte
 Runner Quote
The inaugural Blue Ridge Marathon was my 37th overall and my 19th in just
over four months. I can easily say that, although this was, by far, the most
difficult course I've run, it was one of the best marathons I have ever run and I
will be back many, many times!

I didn't know it was possible for an inaugural race to go so smoothly. The Race
Director always screws something up. This one didn't. I am amazed at how
good a job they did. The communication via their Facebook page was
fantastic too.
 Runner Quote
• Course: This should get 6 stars. While challenging, it was so beautiful! My
iPod stayed in my SPI belt the entire time. It was like watching the best
nature movie ever.
• Location: Roanoke, VA is the friendliest place I have been to in a long
while. All I have to say is WOW, the locations supported this thing like they
were all running it.
• Spectators: OMG. There were many, many, many out there and they all
must have gone to cheering school. They were so enthusiastic and loud
that I felt like a rock start.
• The Finish Line was a memory to last a lifetime.
• Medal: WOW! Unbelievable detail.
• Awesome staging area at the museum.

I think I will do this marathon every year. - Anonymous from Charlotte, NC

Race Beneficiary
 What’s next for the marathon?
• Harder Course
• Expo, start/finish at Taubman Museum of Art
• Give the half marathon it’s own identity
• Focus on walking the half marathon
• Improve race logistics
• Invite national media (Endurance Magazine has committed)
• Upgrade website
• Bi-weekly branded e-newsletter to runners during
weeks leading up to event