Selma to Montgomery 51 Mile Relay
Selma, AL
- 51 Mile Relay, 51 Mile Bike Ride
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
Walk Jog Run Club will be hosting the Selma to Montgomery 51 Mile Relay Race and Bike Ride to commemorate the 1965 world renowned march led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The race will start in Selma, Alabama and end at the state capitol in Montgomery, Alabama. The relay … MORE
Find Nearby Lodging (hotel, rental, etc.):
Excellent experience and historical
This is an awesome event with great historical relevance. It is a relay, though you can run it as an ultra, and it commemorates the route taken by Dr. King … MORE
This is an awesome event with great historical relevance. It is a relay, though you can run it as an ultra, and it commemorates the route taken by Dr. King and John Lewis and many others walked starting at the Edmund Pettus bridge in Selma and going to the Capitol in Montgomery for civil rights. It is weird starting at the bridge knowing the horror that happened there when the marchers were beaten and attacked during their first attempt. Can you imagine police on horses running you down just because you want equal right, voting rights…human dignity?!
The party was on at the start and the cyclists take off over the bridge first. The route is not scenic, at least not the 6 miles of the 2nd leg that I ran. The race is along the highway and is hilly, regardless of what the description says…lol! It was unnerving to me to run on an open highway, but police did a great job of giving a lane and one of our team mates who was also our medical support, road ride there slow rolling behind me. It was so lovely but made me feel like I was extra slow because I was at the end. Be careful what you wish for, I always wanted a police escort and I got it on this day…lol! I was so nervous about being last and the cars and trucks flying by that I was a ball of pent up nerves and ended up hyperventilating when I did get to the exchange point for the next runner. It was so embarrassing, but our team nurse and the volunteers were so awesome and that Coke soda was life! It was awesome seeing other teams cheering their runners on and also giving shouts out myself as I rode with a team mate back to Montgomery. I can not imagine what it would have been like for the original marchers over multiple days and nights walking, camping outside, and not knowing whether they were safe.
The finish line was an awesome experience as each teams last leg or the ultra runners crossed the line in front of the Capitol with blaring music and team mates rejoining them to get them across the finish. The medals were awesome! At the close of the race, the police drove up the road and those of use who were walking back to our hotel cheered and waved and thanked them for keeping us safe. They blew horns and waved back, it was so wonderful!
This is not your usual race, so please do not go thinking that it is. It has historical significance and requires a respect and appreciation for those who waled that long road at their own perile for freedoms that we now often take for granted. The pre race is not really an expo like other races, but there is commeradery, great music, and a pasta dinner. Your relay mates provide transportation, except the cyclists get bus transport to the start from Montgomery to Selma, and any fueling etc, I guess almost like a Ragnar. The race did provide the best porta potties at the start…they had running water and flushed!! I used them multiple times more than I needed…lol! My hotel was in the square (I do not recommend this particular Hampton Inn) and within walking distance to a few restaurants and the museum. The Legacy museum is beyond describing. It is powerful, especially the museum that is a short shuttle ride that recognizes those who were lynched in every state. No words, but you must go. A third portion has opened and I will be returning to go there. These are not your usual museum experiences.
I was so happy to be welcomed by a team that did not care that I was a back of the packer and even with the challenges of the hills, my nerves about the vehicles, my worry about being a detriment to the team, I did meet the pacing that I said I would, so I was on track with that. I was actually signed up for the Rome marathon, but decided to do this one instead. I would like to try this again and be more settled during the run since I truly know what to expect. I encourage you to do this race and spend time at the museums and read up on why this is an event that means so much and is so powerful. It is, unfortunately, still very relevant today.