This was my second race with the Vacation Race series (and not my last!!) and it was exactly what was needed during the pandemic for a mental health break and for things to feel somewhat normal again with a live, in-person race. I ended up signing up for the Black Bear Double (5k & 13.1) and love every minute of our weekend trip. (Even my non-running husband decided to sign up for the 5k!)

BIB PICK-UP: We arrived Friday afternoon (after an overnight stay in Knoxville-- which is only an hour away from Townsend). The bib pick-up was drive thru and went seamless. They had two lines of cars to expedite the process and had volunteers at the beginning passing out the race guide to folks while they waited. The other element that we loved of the drive-thru (and wished more races would do it), is that they had a radio channel you could turn to while you waited to listen to a curated playlist and the race announcements they were making. Colleen and the rest of the team were talking about the race and giving updates, in real time, and chatting with racers while they waited in their cars. It really helped added to the excitement of the race. As we got closer to the pick-up station, two volunteers came over and asked the name of the runner, so as one was checking off names, the other went ahead to grab the bib. While they did that, my husband decided to sign up for the 5k & was able to register and pay right there (it went quickly and didn't hold up the line). As we moved up, they handed us the bib and we moved to the next station-- t'shirt pick up. After getting our shirts, we moved to the hydration pick up and then finally the swag station for the Black Bear Double. We weren't in line very long.

EXPO: There were essentially two Expo's for this race-- virtual and in-person:
- In Person: After picking up our stuff, we parked and walked through the scaled down Expo. Unlike previous years, the different vendors/sponsors weren't on hand at the Expo to ensure safety protocols and social distancing. The Vacation Race team was there and set up with merch for this race... and it didn't disappoint. From posters to hats to sweatshirts-- you could find it all there. The only other vendors that we saw were Goodr and the Wander Project.
- Virtual: A few days before the race, the Vacation Race team hosted a Facebook Live Race Expo. This was executed really well and allowed all the vendors/sponsors to talk about and showcase their products. The VR team kept things fun and entertaining with fun facts, questions and trivia throughout. Folks watching were even able to win goodies throughout the Facebook event from the sponsors. (I snagged a pair of Goodr sunglasses that I was able to pick up at the in-person expo!)

5K (FRIDAY NIGHT): Friday evening was the 5k and I think I heard that about 750-800 people participated. This is a fun idea because we saw so many couples and families running. It gave the folks who weren't running the half marathon a way to participate during the weekend and receive their own medals. They broke people up into waves that went off at different times & reminded everyone to wear their masks while staying socially distant. While they had assigned waves, they did allow runners to move to different waves if they needed.

COURSE :The 5k started across the street from the Tally Ho Inn, where the race was headquartered for the weekend. It was an easy out and back that crossed a few streets, ran through a neighborhood with families cheering on the runners (one even created their own aide station!), went through a tunnel and finished at the Tally Ho Inn. The only hiccup (if you can call it that) was that the waves were delayed because they had to close down a major intersection that we ran through. This intersection was one of the only roads that connected Townsend to Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg, so there were a lot of vehicles waiting for the first wave of runners to cross & the police had to let the vehicles pass before letting the next wave begin. Oops...lol! But an easy course that finished where the half marathon finished the next day.

HALF MARATHON (SATURDAY MORNING): We got up early on Saturday morning to drive up to Maryville where the race was starting at a local high school. They VR team did have shuttle buses available, but my husband dropped me off before he grabbed some breakfast. Again, VR did have assigned waves for the runners but you could jump in another wave to begin the race. One thing that I thought was really sweet is that they had the runners/walkers who were in the last wave begin with the first wave to ensure that they had the maximum amount of time to finish the course. The morning views from the start line did not disappoint! The smoky fog was rolling over the mountains like a waterfall & made for some incredible pictures before jumping on the course. They had music playing and the race announcing team was there cheering everyone on. I jumped in an earlier wave and walked down to the start line with everyone. Once we got down there, it was a rolling start so you could begin when you were ready.

COURSE: The course is relatively flat with a few hills even though we were running uphill. It didn't feel like a huge elevation gain (at least for anyone who lives and runs in areas of the country with lots of hills). The course was along an old highway that had relatively little car traffic and followed the Little River for the majority of the race. It was shaded until about mile 9 when we crossed the river and ran along the main road into Townsend. There were aide stations every few miles and even a few residents (and cyclists) out cheering on the runners. I loved seeing all the fun cabins and camping spots along the river (something we'll check out in the future as a possible place to stay). After mile 9 and turning towards Townsend, be prepared for no shade coverage so make sure to have sunscreen because it was very sunny!

FINISH LINE: The VR finish lines are always a party! As I made my way towards the finish line, there is a tiny hill (which at mile 13.09 feels like a mountain. lol!) you have to head up to cross the finish line. They announced each runners name & a fun fact that we submitted during registration. After crossing the finish, the volunteers were there to give you your medal and direct you to the snack boxes and water stations. For folks who did the Black Bear Double we headed to a tent to pick up our additional medal for running 16.2 miles within 24 hours.

OVERALL: This is one of the closest Vacation Races to where I live so I will definitely be running this again in the future... and hopefully bringing some of my running crew along. Every element of the race logistics was thought through, especially during the pandemic. It was a fun weekend filled with great memories from exploring Townsend on Friday to driving through the Smoky Mountains after the race on Saturday from Cades Cove to the top of Clingman's Dome (note: during the race, my husband drove the Foothills Parkway & said the views were incredible). Also, we were able to stay at a motel a few doors down from the Tally Ho Inn, so we were able to cheer on the folks still on the course from our motel & hear the finish line fun.

Top Tips:
- For some underground (and cool) fun, check out Tuckaleechee Caverns
- Culinary delights: Apple Valley Mountain Village; Snoring Bear Diner; Pawpaw's Catfish Kitchen
- Be sure to stop in the Townsend Visitor Center -- they have National Parks merchandise & maps (which is helpful since there is no cell service within the park) and an art gallery featuring local artists (one was on hand doing a demonstration)