The Tug Valley Road Runners Club (TVRRC) hosts plenty of great races throughout the area, but their most well known is the Hatfield McCoy Marathon, which will be hosted for the 22nd time this June!
The Hatfield McCoy Marathon will start at the Food City in South Williamson, Kentucky, and will run along the historic sites of the Hatfield McCoy feud. “Everyone scales up Blackberry Mountain on mile 6.5, and down to the other side,” says Alexis Batausa, TVRRC President.. “The halfway point takes you to Matewan, West Virginia, and everyone flows through Matewan for its history with the Matewan Massacre, and jumps back onto the course into Kentucky.” The race will finish in downtown Williamson.
Runners will have the option to run the 26.2 mile Marathon, or one of two 13.1 mile half-marathons. The Jeannie Rivard 5K Course will also be offered, running through both West Virginia and Kentucky.
It goes without saying that there will be slight differences, as organizers take precautions against COVID-19. Social distancing and mask wearing will be encouraged outside of the race, though participants do not have to wear their masks. “We still want everyone to be safe,” Alexis says. Water will be passed out by volunteers wearing masks and gloves, and a virtual marathon will be available to those who are unable to make it to the real deal. “That means they can run it anywhere in the world: in their backyard, neighborhoods, or on a treadmill,” Alexis says.
Taking Care of Each Other
Alexis is excited to be bringing such a huge event back to the area, and thinks it does great things for the community. “It’s huge!” he says. “We always look forward to this race bringing people from around the world here in our communities.” The race also lets people from all over see just how great people in this region are. “People always come back because of the hospitality, the uniqueness, and the way we take care of each runner when they come here!”
The 22nd Hatfield McCoy Marathon will take place on June 12th, 2021. To learn more about this event, check out their Facebook page or their website.
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