Overall Rating
Overall Rating (3 Reviews)
4.3
(3 Ratings)  (3 Reviews)
DIFFICULTY
3.3
SCENERY
4.3
PRODUCTION
4.7
SWAG
4.3
The Black Bear Half Marathon is Western North Carolina’s most popular, scenic, fall half marathon & 8K, mostly flat, lots of fun, and spectator-friendly! The annual Black Bear Half Marathon & 8K presented by Hunter Subaru, both wind through Hendersonville, NC (near Asheville). Both events offer a scenic, mostly flat … MORE
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L (°F)  44  52  65  55  61
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Recent reviews

    Sunnynflorida FIRST-TIMER '21

    Communication is awesome, especially if your not familiar with the area. Due to heavy rains and flooding the previous days the race course changed which added lots of hills. Being … MORE

    Communication is awesome, especially if your not familiar with the area. Due to heavy rains and flooding the previous days the race course changed which added lots of hills. Being from Florida, we do not get too many hills to practice in. The route was well marked, people were super nice even after the race. The medals and shirts were incredible, loved them! Wish their were more vendors and food at the end. Plus the runners who took over 3 hours, the vendors and food was packed up, so they didn’t get anything. Would definitely do this one again, very well organized.

    DIFFICULTY
    4
    PRODUCTION
    4
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    3

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    M-Hall FIRST-TIMER '21

    Hendersonville NC got rain all week. The greenway course was flooded and muddy apparently. Idaph Events made a very well done last minute course shift to what I thought was … MORE

    Hendersonville NC got rain all week. The greenway course was flooded and muddy apparently. Idaph Events made a very well done last minute course shift to what I thought was better than the original plan – a scenic out and back with a single start, compared to the original double out and back with wave starts over half an hour. Communication was great, email and website update of the changes, including a changed time range for packet pickup.
    The events (half and 8k) were at a softball park in a wooded area, parking was close and plentiful. The half was all on roads, no greenway, but there were sufficient monitors and water stations. The new course had more ascent (623 ft) than the original but nothing seemed too steep.
    The course was a little short on my watch, about 12.5 miles, but I didn’t hear any complaints and there was plenty of room for the compulsive types to run thru the finish and get to 13.1 – at least it worked for me. It was so much better to not have the race cancelled. Idaph handled the situation beatifully, it could not have been easy making that shift at the last minute.
    The swag was a nice soft cotton long sleeve shirt, neat medal, prints by a local artist for top finishers 3 deep in age groups, and a bag with coupons for local discounts. There was a food truck and nice post race refreshments – water, sports drinks, fruit and bars, free local donut and beer. The course water stops had water, sports drinks, and a nice array of gels.
    Definitely a recommendable race, very enjoyable.

    DIFFICULTY
    3
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    4
    SWAG
    5
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    jatemple REPEAT RUNNER '20

    The long sleeve T-Shirt and unique Black Bear medal are terrific. For this inaugural event, the course had about 350 feet of elevation change overall, with a nice little hill … MORE

    The long sleeve T-Shirt and unique Black Bear medal are terrific. For this inaugural event, the course had about 350 feet of elevation change overall, with a nice little hill just before the end. The course goes about 2 miles out, then twice up and back on a 2.25 mile (or so) paved trail through a beautiful park setting, then back to the finish. The course was well-marked with arrows on the pavement and signs. You can’t control the weather, and it did rain, so puddles were an issue; however, fortunately, it let up for most of our time on the course. I carried my own nutrition, so have no input on the water stops. We do intend to go back and do this one as often as we can. Highly recommended for the pleasant people, the area and the SWAG!

    DIFFICULTY
    3
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    4
    SWAG
    5

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  1. Races
  2. Black Bear Half Marathon & 8K (NC)