Last year’s Cherokee Harvest Half Marathon & 5K drew 600 runners. This year’s event is expected to beat that with over 800 expected. (Photo courtesy of Greg Duff)
Over 800 runners are expected to be in Cherokee on Saturday, Oct. 18 for the 3rd Cherokee Harvest Half Marathon & 5K. This will far exceed last year’s record breaking field of 600 participants.
The event was created in 2012 to benefit the Madison Hornbuckle Children’s Cancer Foundation. Over $22,000 was raised from the event in 2013 to serve families of children with cancer that live in Jackson, Swain, Cherokee, Graham and Cherokee counties in Western North Carolina.
Both USATF-certified courses take runners through the heart of Cherokee, including a new section on the half marathon course that incorporates a section of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Also new for 2014 is that runners will complete one-lap on the Acqoni Events Center track before reaching the finish line.
The event is known for not only it’s amazing beauty in the heart of the fall foliage season but the swag package given to all race participants. This year’s package includes a fleece beanie, ultra cinch bag and a quarter-zip, long-sleeve tech running shirt. Each participant also receives a locally made, wood finishers medallion and two action photos. There is a $1,600 cash purse for the half marathon.
After the race, runners are treated to a post-race feast created and served by the Culinary team at Harrah’s Cherokee Resort.
Those traveling in Cherokee on race morning will experience some delays and road and lane closures. Acquoni Road will be closed to all traffic from 8:15am to approximately 11:30am. The right lanes of both the eastbound and westbound lanes of US 19 will be closed to traffic from Hospital Road to Whitewater Drive. Drivers are asked to follow the instructions of public safety officers assisting with the race and use patience and caution when in the presence of runners.
For further race information, please go to www.CherokeeHarvestHalf.com
– Glory Hound Events
