Are you planning your road trips for the year? Not that it’s really needed, but do you need another reason to visit the Great Smoky Mountains this year?

Participate in a half marathon or 5k just outside Great Smoky Mountains NP, then explore the park afterwards.

I first ran a Vacation Races-sponsored half marathon five years ago when they hosted their inaugural Great Smoky Mountains half marathon. Last year I ran two of their races (Glacier and Shenandoah). This year I ran the Great Smoky Mountains half marathon again.

5 Reasons to Run the Great Smoky Mountains Half Marathon

1. 5k for the whole family

Some of the races hosted by Vacation Races have a 5k the evening before the half marathon, and Great Smoky Mountains is one of them. No one else in my family wants to run a half marathon, though I think River will be ready in a few more years. This 5k was a great opportunity for them to be a part of what I was doing. Walking the race is totally ok, so you don’t even have to be a runner to participate in the 5k (that’s 3.1 miles, just in case you were wondering). And all participants get a medal.

Jeremy walked and pushed the boys in the stroller alongside Sunshine, while I slowly ran the race as a warmup for the next morning. Less than a mile into the race, River decided he wanted to run, too. So he hopped out of the stroller and ran forward a ways, ran back to daddy, then ran forward a ways, then ran back to daddy, over and over. He probably ran more than a 5k 🙂

2. Proximity to bus pickup

While some Vacation Races half marathons have race campgrounds, this one doesn’t. However, there are several hotels and campgrounds close to the bus pickup and finish line/expo area. There’s also a number of cabins available to rent that are a bit further away. We rented a cabin the first time I ran this race, but this time we camped across the road from the finish line.

I woke up early the morning of the race and left everyone else still sleeping in the RV. I carefully crossed the street and walked a few hundred feet to the staging area where we were to catch the buses to the start line. So convenient!

3. The scenery while running

The race is run outside the park, but that doesn’t mean it’s not scenic. Tree-lined roads next to a river are beautiful and peaceful. At the start line we watched a colorful sunrise as we lined up in our waves and started running.

The weather was great for running: cool and overcast most of the morning. There was also some beautiful fog floating across the tree-covered hills nearby. We ran on a nearly-deserted old country road next to a river for a good portion of the course, which made for a peaceful atmosphere that felt set apart from the hustle and bustle of our normal lives.

4. Eco-friendly

Vacation Races are cup free and they also don’t provide plastic bags at the packet pickup and expo. Instead, runners are encouraged to bring their own bags, or to make one from an old race shirt at the booth provided. In addition, recycling bins are everywhere for recycling, composting, and trash. They sort the trash and pride themselves on keeping actual trash to a minimum.

What does cup free mean? It means they don’t use disposable cups at the water stations. Instead, each runner gets a reusable cup called a hydrapouch, that you hook to your waistband and carry with you. At the water stations you fill your hydrapouch with water or electrolyte drink, then tuck it back in your waist band. No cups littering the road and much less work for the volunteers.

I don’t use the brand of electrolyte drink that they provide, so I always bring my own. In the past, I’ve used a waist belt with a water bottle, but this time I used a Nathan Vapor Howe vest. I’m not built like a stereo-typical runner (or the models wearing the vests), so I wasn’t sure how I’d like having my water flasks right at my chest (this was a last-minute decision, so I didn’t have much time to play around with it before the race).

I actually really liked the vest and how everything fit. The water flasks collapsed as I drank from them, and they have long straws that are easy to reach without removing them from their pockets. So much easier and more convenient than the water bottle at the small of my back that I used to use.

5. Smoky Mountain National Park

There’s a reason it’s the most visited national park in the US. If you haven’t been (or even if you have), this is a great time to do so. Vacation Races encourages race participants to explore the nearby national park by hosting a couple challenges.

Two or three hikes in the park are designated “club hikes”. You have 72 hours after finishing the half marathon to complete at least one of them, and then you’ll receive a commemorative medallion and bragging rights (these aren’t easy hikes). If you want something a little tamer, there’s the Trifecta, which entails visiting three spots in the park within 72 hours after finishing the half marathon. If you do so, you’ll receive a commemorative pin.

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Want to drive to Great Smoky Mountain NP and stay in an RV? Rent an RV or travel trailer and explore in style! Skip the big corporate rental companies and rent from someone local to you or the park. Look on RVShare or Outdoorsy to find a rig that will work for you.

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And a couple things to keep in mind

1. The slanted road surface on old country roads

The first nine miles were on an old country road and the last four on a bike path. Normally I don’t enjoy running on bike paths right next to a busy road with traffic whizzing by, but in this case, I actually enjoyed it.

That scenic country road was unevenly canted for long stretches, which put a lot of stress and pain on my left foot (the uphill foot). Parts were flat, but then the roadbed would tilt again. The flat bike path was such a relief after the uneven slopes we’d been running on. The tilted roads didn’t bother everyone, but it is something to consider.

2. Cup free can have a learning curve

You have to remember to bring your reusable cup (hydrapouch) to each race and not leave them at your campground/hotel/cabin. I totally forgot mine for the 5k, and didn’t remember until during the race, so I was out of luck. Last year I forgot it before the Shenandoah half, but they had extras at the start line, so I was able to grab a replacement. Running a 5k without water was bad enough, a half marathon would have been awful.

The races will be held September 6 and 7, 2019. Ready to register for one or both of the races? Sign up at the Vacation Races site.

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