DANVILLE, Va. – Against the backdrop of the iconic Three Sisters smokestacks, Danville is preparing to launch its first Boston Marathon qualifying event, marking a significant milestone in the city’s continued growth.
“I just thought it was time to bring something like this to Danville. I think Danville’s ready for this, for our community to be more in the running community and world,” said Race Director Steve Scott.
The inaugural Three Sisters Marathon, expected to draw more around 900 runners, will feature both marathon and half-marathon events, along with beer vendors and a post-race celebration complete with a DJ.
“It’s not all about the runners either. It’s about bringing our community together and getting them involved. You don’t have to be a runner to be here so just come out and get involved, get out on the roads,” Scott added.
City officials view the race as both a health initiative and a symbol of Danville’s recent growth. Jason Bookheimer, Division Director of Community Recreation, noted, “I don’t know if we would have had this race for the past few years. Seeing a Boston qualifier event comes shows that we’ve been really supporting things across the region.”
Among the participants is Woodbridge resident Jonathan Ladson, a veteran of approximately 30 marathons, who’s eager to tackle the new course.
“Everything will be brand new. It’s kind of like a surprise. You kind of know what you’re getting but you also don’t know what you’re getting,” Ladson said.
Ladson hopes the event will help establish Danville as a running destination. “That’s one of the reasons I wanted to come out here: to spread information about this event and the community with my other friends to hopefully encourage more runners to come out and run this next year,” he said.
The race also gives folks of all abilities the chance to participate. Some folks like Leah McGowan will race with a specialized chair pushed by runners in tomorrow’s race. McGowan says she’s excited to be a part of the race and see everyone cheering her to the finish.
The event begins Friday night with a fun run, followed by the marathon and half marathon on Saturday morning. You can find all traffic information regarding the race here.