The Asheville Half Marathon is one of the greatest destination half marathons in North Carolina! Asheville is truly an American treasure and a running destination with great shopping and world-class beer, arts, and dining. Runners will want to sample the many unique breweries, bars and clubs that the city has …
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The Asheville Half Marathon is one of the greatest destination half marathons in North Carolina! Asheville is truly an American treasure and a running destination with great shopping and world-class beer, arts, and dining. Runners will want to sample the many unique breweries, bars and clubs that the city has to offer! Asheville is one of America’s most picturesque cities with beautiful homes, mountains and attractions bordering the Blue Ridge Parkway!
The annual Asheville Half Marathon – 10k – 5K begins and ends in Pack Square and the course covers some of the best parts of Asheville. It runs through the Brewery District, then tours the Arts District, and then follows the French Broad River as you head up north to Beaver Lake. After Beaver Lake you will head past the Grove Park Country Club, then towards Weaver Park, and next to UNCA campus. Runners will then take Broadway Street back to downtown. Participants will LOVE the challenge of running or walking the hills in Asheville.
Participants love the challenge of racing through the hills of Asheville at the end of August, one of the best times to visit with great weather, amazing views and beautiful fall colors filling the city. Yes, that’s right…there are hills here. Ha!
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Hilly road running
Are the race organizers sure they couldn't have fit a few more hills in? There were some flat parts that could have used more hills. They somehow made the shared … MORE
Are the race organizers sure they couldn’t have fit a few more hills in? There were some flat parts that could have used more hills. They somehow made the shared start/finish line so that you start uphill and finish up hill. Cool location to stat in (Pack square park) and I liked having the option for picking up my bib at Will call on saturday because I drove in after work on Friday. The course was very hilly. I have never walked so much on a half-marathon. A lot of time you are on the road with no shoulder and cars trying to get around you. You have to make a lot of road crossings and it could be easy to get lost if you were not around other runners. I liked the part around the lake the best. Last two miles are uphill on already tired legs with an uphill finish (really??). The water stations weren’t great so I am glad I brought my own hydration. I didn’t see any gels or other fueling except Gatorade on the course. A few people came out to cheer. The volunteers were great and always cheering you on, even as you walk up all of the hills.
Not worth the cost
I don't make this post lightly because I know what goes into a race. First, the start line was the finish line but the only banner across the top was … MORE
I don’t make this post lightly because I know what goes into a race. First, the start line was the finish line but the only banner across the top was “Finish.” I heard many people asking the RD where the start line was. I know it’s on the map that was sent but it shouldn’t be that way. While that seems like a small detail but it’s the small details that make a race a great race. The course was nice, I enjoy hills and the views were good. However, when crossing Merrimon Ave, a busy 3 lane road, there was one officer way down the road which made this a dangerous crossing. The second issue was the missing person to direct runners which caused the front of the pack to get off course, I did an extra .4 and some did an extra .7. This all could have been avoided if there were signs. The only signs throughout the entire course were along Beaver Lake. The race director did send an apology email but this should have never happened. It caused all of us to cross Merrimon at an even more dangerous portion. Again, it’s the little things that make a race a great race. Finally, there was only water and Gatorade on the course. No bananas, no oranges, no gels. This race cost as much as the bigger races so IMO, there’s no excuse. The finish line refreshments were almost gone as well as only granola bars, fruit snacks, and crackers. Not what will refuel someone after a race. I have run over 40 half marathons, 9 fulls, 2 ultras, and more 5Ks and 10Ks than I can count so I am not a newbie with high expectations other than safety, good course markings, and price appropriate course support. I count myself lucky to say that out of all my races this is the first one that I will never do again.
Hills, Hills, Hills, and Hills!!
WoW, this is a HILLY course!! The inclines are STEEP, and the downhills are STEEP!! Normally, a hilly course rewards the effort of the climb up a hill with a … MORE
WoW, this is a HILLY course!! The inclines are STEEP, and the downhills are STEEP!! Normally, a hilly course rewards the effort of the climb up a hill with a nice downhill section, but that is not always the case with this course. Some of the downhill sections are so steep that you really need to be careful of your footing. But, it is a pretty course, and the organizers do a nice job.
AVL puts its best foot forward
I'm from Asheville. Born there, but moved away when I got married at 26. I still have family that live here and visit regularly, BUT I generally do NOT go … MORE
I’m from Asheville. Born there, but moved away when I got married at 26. I still have family that live here and visit regularly, BUT I generally do NOT go downtown. The city has become overcrowded and overpriced in the last 30 years, unfortunately. I was visiting family and friends in AVL over this weekend and decided to run this race. I’m glad I did!
Although I generally avoid races that require you to come into town the day before the race for an early packet pickup, or that require you to pay extra for race day packet pickup, I was already coming to town so I went ahead and registered. The packet pickup location is at a brewery and the festival there for pickup was maybe the best race festival I’ve seen anywhere (and that’s over more than 100 races). It was really a cool thing going on at packet pickup at the Highland Brewery.
The race itself was also great. Parking was easy and I think I walked less than a block from where I parked to the start line. That’s unusual for an urban race in a town this size. Asheville is a beautiful small city. I love my city, but I’m biased. But this was a big race and I talked to a few people from out of town who came to town for the race and who loved AVL as well.
Because I spent 26 years in this town I didn’t expect to be awed by the course. But I’m telling you that Asheville put its best foot forward with this race. Parking was easy, plenty of toilets, a super pretty course through town, the river, and nice neighborhoods, and then a finish back into the downtown.
To the race organizers, I’d change two things. First, have the finish come in flat or down hill. That last two blocks running up hill through the finish line was not fun or appreciated. Second, and this is a bigger complaint, I saw two things to drink at the finish line… water handed to the runners as they crossed the finish line, and beer in the finish festival area. No sports drink? Not even a water table in the finish festival area??? And runners like to drink, but a lot of runners don’t drink at all… tell the breweries to bring NA beer, or get some Athletic Brewing Company NA brews. And if you add an actual meal, this would be one of my top 5 races. That is literally the only thing missing to make this a serious contender for a top 50 road race in the country. Despite the lack of a meal, or sports drink, this is a race that I’ll be doing again next year. Worth coming from out of town for the race and a visit to AVL.
Hated this race!
This is a very hilly course during a very hot humid August. I enjoyed the scenery on the course, pretty houses. There was one downhill that was so steep I … MORE
This is a very hilly course during a very hot humid August. I enjoyed the scenery on the course, pretty houses. There was one downhill that was so steep I didnt see anyone attempt to run down it. Although that hill was short. We had a bear cross the road right in front of us early in the race. Bit unexpected.
My major grief with this race is that from before mile 11 to the finish there were no people directing us, and no signs. My pal and I got lost, ended up running in the street to realize that cars weren’t stopping so we had to get on the sidewalk. We tried to follow the music and ended up coming in facing the finish line the wrong way and going up a block so we could come back down the finish the correct way. There were several other people near us who also got lost and were trying to figure out where to go. There definitely needed to be more people directing runners. One cop at an intersection telling us, go left then take a right up there is not cutting it. I can’t even remember what food or if there was any cause I was just glad we found the finish.
If you like hills...
This was a very hilly race, it felt like every mile had its own hill, but WOW the scenery. Asheville was a fantastic town to visit, really easy to fly … MORE
This was a very hilly race, it felt like every mile had its own hill, but WOW the scenery. Asheville was a fantastic town to visit, really easy to fly into, and get around. The race was nicely organized, packet pickup was at a brewery, which was a new experience for me, but fun. The start of the race was ok, the finish up a hill was difficult. The post race gathering was nice, but not large. Such a pretty course and town to visit.
Truly awesome race
This was my first race ever, so my insights are limited. However, I can say that the race itself was really great, and the race staff are even better. I … MORE
This was my first race ever, so my insights are limited. However, I can say that the race itself was really great, and the race staff are even better. I gave myself a relatively poor rating because I slept through all 4 of my alarms, started the race 30 mins late, and got lost for the first 0.6 mile, which led to an 11 min/mi split because I was running and stopping in circles trying to figure out where to go). My pace and time were terrible because my first race simply did not get off to the start that I expected. That being said… When I arrived to the check-in tent at the starting line, the staff were incredibly empathetic and kind. The one staff member just said, “It’s okay. Just breathe, you’re here”. That they even let me still run meant so much to me.
Otherwise, the running expo the night before was at a great location. Even though I don’t really drink, the brewery they chose was an awesome setting, and the staff were very organized in getting people their shirt, bib, etc. The indoor and outdoor seating options were perfect up on a hill with amazing views of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
The 10K race course overall was really great. I wish I had started on time so that I would’ve been directed to the first key turn that gets you out of Downtown, so my only critique would be that some signage would have been great instead of relying on guide people who had already left their post. I had to ask some police officers for directions. The first portion is mostly downhill, the middle is pretty flat going through the River Arts District, and the final two miles are pretty consistently on an incline getting back into Downtown. In my opinion, it’s the perfect mix for a race and being able to target a pace because you have a portion of ease to start, consistency in the middle, and then you get to challenge and push yourself to finish.
The medal and swag overall are great, especially for someone who has never medaled before! I’ll cherish my medal and personalized bib, for sure. The post-race party/festivities was really fun and social. One other thing that was impressive but I didn’t get to partake in were free rehab/PT services… I missed my appointment in the morning before the race to get free kinesiology tape application and stretching, which I would’ve loved given I’m still recovering from severe IT band syndrome. They also had the same rehab/PT care providers available for after the race, though, and I saw people being assisted with stretching and theraguns, etc. Really just an awesome service to provide for anyone that ran the half or 10K.
Overall, it was just an amazing race, and I’m looking forward to running the 10K again or even the half next year! I have no doubt that it’ll be just as well-organized and enjoyable as it was this year. It also gives me a good reason to visit Asheville, where I went to high school but rarely get back to. It’s set the bar high for any other race I run in the future.
Run for the hills
I am pretty sure miles 9-11 is completely uphill with no break. Smaller race but the city of Asheville is beautiful and this race is a good excuse to explore … MORE
I am pretty sure miles 9-11 is completely uphill with no break. Smaller race but the city of Asheville is beautiful and this race is a good excuse to explore this unique town.