2010 Blue Ridge Marathon Summary

8/9/2019 2010 Blue Ridge Marathon Summary

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Who Made It Happen

325 volunteers

8-person race committee

More than 30 sponsors

Local media support


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QuickOverview 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


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Where They Came From 34 States and London

317 runners from outside Virginia

625 from VA (207 outside Roanoke/NRV)


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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!


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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


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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


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TV/Radio Mentions

WFXR

WSLS

WDBJ

WSET WFIR

WVTF

101.5 The Planet FM

Our Blue Ridge

Cox Communications: My Connection


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Online Mentions

More than 323,000 websites mention and/or

link to the marathon website

Wikipedia page


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Roanoke Digital Billboards


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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


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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 Runners World


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1307 FacebookFans

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, Im pretty sure I havent been a part of any other inauguralevents. I also am rarely impressed by an event until it happens, but so far I like what Ive 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 dont use social media tools to build a buzz around their race. For this being

a smaller race, theyve already done more than what Ive seen from Shamrock.

- David Hylton (Running Because I Can.com)


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1307 FacebookFans

Demographics 20 countries represented

Top Cities:1. Roanoke

2. San Antonio3. Richmond

4. Atlanta

5. Washington DC

6. New York

7. Lynchburg8. Chicago

9. Raleigh

10. Charlotte


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RunnerQuote

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.


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RunnerQuote 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


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Race Beneficiary


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Whats next for the marathon?

Harder Course

Expo, start/finish at Taubman Museum of Art

Give the half marathon its own identity

Focus on walking the half marathon Improve race logistics

Invite national media (Endurance Magazine hascommitted)

Upgrade website Bi-weekly branded e-newsletter to runners during

weeks leading up to event


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2010 Blue Ridge Marathon Summary

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