Local running club Run Chattanooga is hosting their third year of Burn Your Half Off, a low-cost half marathon (with shorter distance options) held on multiple days. It’s not something that will shut down roads; it’s just a low-key way to cover 13.1 miles with some friends.
More than 300 runners from over a dozen states are registered to participate throughout the weekend. Two half marathons will be held at the Riverpark on Saturday, July 8, and Sunday, July 9, in the morning. Another two half marathons were added this year to Harrison Bay State Park at night on July 7 and July 8.
The “Burn Your Half Off” half marathon is billed as a ‘no frills, no shirt, no time limit’ event. Run Chattanooga will provide cold water, Gatorade, banana and strawberry smoothies, watermelon, ice, and other “cool” perks for participants. Runners simply need to bring a bottle or cup to put their drinks in and whatever else they think they’ll need to cover 13.1 miles. In fact, if runners aren’t up for doing a half marathon, they are still welcome to come out and be part of the fun and run a shorter distance. There is no time limit, so walkers and beginners are welcome.
The Riverwalk course will be done in short sections originating from the Hubert Fry Center. The Harrison Bay course will be done on the Bay Loop Trail. Runners will pass each other - and the start/finish where their gear, drinks, and snacks will be - multiple times. Post-run food is done potluck-style, with everyone bringing something to share.
Run Chattanooga also uses this event to collect old shoes from runners, who admittedly go through a lot of shoes, to donate to the Community Kitchen.
Run Chattanooga founder Courtney Bird will complete her 100th lifetime half marathon at the race on Friday night at Harrison Bay State Park. Courtney began running in 2012 after the birth of her fourth child. She founded Run Chattanooga in 2013. The self-described "grassroots awesomesauce" running club now produces multiple races throughout the year, and has hosted runners from almost every state and multiple countries, with Ms. Bird at the helm of every event. Run Chattanooga’s online popularity exploded so much that a spin-off running club was created this year, currently in beta testing, with members from all over the world.
"I'm excited to be running in one of our events for a change," Ms. Bird commented. "Our races are designed to be low-key, laid-back, and focused on fun; those kinds of races tend to be my favorite, whether they are the ones we produce locally or races I've done elsewhere across the country."
Ms. Bird has completed half marathons in 33 states, and plans to add to that number later this year as she continues to pursue larger running goals. Some of her favorite races include the Little Rock Half Marathon, the Hatfield-McCoy Half Marathons, and the multi-day, multi-state race series produced by Mainly Marathons, at which Ms. Bird and her husband also volunteer on a regular basis. Ms. Bird is also the local ambassador for the international Marathon Maniacs and Half Fanatics clubs and is a marathoner and ultramarathoner.
Registration for the races is at https://runsignup.com/Race/TN/Chattanooga/BurnYourHalfOff
Setup will begin on both Saturday and Sunday at 5 a.m. at the Hubert Fry Center on the Riverwalk. Setup at Harrison Bay will begin at 4 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Morning races begin at 7 a.m., night races begin at 6 p.m., rain or shine.