Overview The Blue Ridge Marathon is a road marathon in Roanoke, Virginia, that runs up and down the Blue Ridge Mountains for 7,430 feet of elevation change, and it bills itself as America's Toughest Road Race. The same weekend carries a double marathon of 14,860 feet, a half, a 10K, a four-person relay, a family mile and a Sunday recovery run, the Slow-K. Its line is "Complete, Don't Compete": the race says even seasoned elites struggle on it, and it builds its 19 aid stations and training plans around getting everyone to the finish. The Roanoke Outside Foundation, which works on the region's outdoor economy, owns and manages it. On site Race weekend opens with a Friday welcome party that doubles as the expo and packet pickup, outdoors with local beer, food trucks and live music, and an indoor fallback if it rains. The finish festival sets up in the same place on race day, and the Down by Downtown Music Festival fills downtown venues the same weekend, with its main stage a few feet from the finish line and a Saturday night concert in Elmwood Park. The race says locals line the course with champagne. On Sunday the Slow-K recovery run brings runners back out for a morning the race compares to a farmer's market. Audience In the race's own figures, runners come from all 50 states and at least five countries and bring an average of three people each to cheer. Nearly half of the field returns from a previous year, and 5% had run every edition since 2010. A quarter belong to a running club or team, and more than 100 clubs race each year. The race says some runners get tattoos after finishing. Track record The race started in 2010, and its sponsor deck puts average growth at about 10% a year and giving to local charities at more than $218,850 since that first race. Non-profits earn $300 to $1,000 from the race for staffing volunteer shifts. Runner's World included it among the world's toughest races, and Blue Ridge Outdoors named it best running event. Brand presence Foot Levelers was the 2026 title partner, and that year's events carried partner names: the Anthem Star 10K, the Freedom First relay and Down by Downtown festival, the Carilion Children's Family 1 Miler and the Slow-K presented by Altra. Below that a partner can name almost any feature of the course, from the Mill Mountain and Roanoke Mountain climbs to the recovery zone, the timing and the Official Goat. Companies and clubs can also take over an aid station and staff it with their own people, with the race supplying equipment and nutrition.