Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country
Founded 05-05-05

July 3, 2008 issue

Tough As A Scot

Races Require Grit and Endurance

Foot races are one of the most traditional aspects of highland games, and the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games is one of the few highland games events in the nation to have its own track. Three racing events—The Bear, the Grandfather Mountain Marathon and the Grizzly—are central parts of Highland Games athletics.

For more info, call 828-733-1333, click to www.gmhg.org or visit the Highland Games headquarters at 4210 Highway 221 in Linville.

The Bear
This arduous 5-mile foot race on Thursday, July 10, begins at 7:00 p.m. at the base of the mountain in Linville. When the gun fires, more than 500 runners will take off full tilt up to the Swinging Bridge near the peak of Grandfather. The runners will pass through MacRae Meadows and circle the track on their way to the top.

The Grizzly
The Grizzly Bike Race on Friday, July 11, will begin and end on the track at Grandfather Mountain. Riders will cycle through Avery County following a challenging route with 7,000 feet of climbing in 65 miles, including 2 miles of dirt road up the back side of Beech Mountain. Riders have 7 hours to complete the course, and the race begins at 8:00 a.m.

The Marathon
The Grandfather Mountain Marathon’s reputation as America's toughest attracts runners from all over the country and many parts of the world. The race is 26.2 miles long, starts in Boone, ends on the track at MacRae Meadows and features a net elevation gain of 1,000 feet. However, runners who successfully complete the race end up climbing well over 3,000 feet because of the course’s rolling terrain. The last 13 miles of the race are virtually uphill. The marathon takes place on Saturday, July 12, and begins at 7:00 a.m.