Blue Ridge Relay Comes Through Mitchell and Yancey Counties Saturday

Watch out for runners when you are out on the roads in Mitchell and Yancey Counties tomorrow (9/6/19). Once again this year the Blue Ridge Relay will begin a 208 mile race in Grayson Highlands State Park in Virginia, wind its way through scenic country roads and end up in Asheville. The course, which includes the Blue Ridge Parkway and Grandfather Mountain will take runners into Mitchell County to Red Hill along NC 197 North through Green Mountain, Clearmont School Road, Jacks Creek, Hwy 19, through Burnsville to NC 197 South to Pensacola to Barnardsville then Asheville. More than 2000 runners, their support crews and vehicles will pass through these points. The first runners are expected at the Toodies Creek change-over station, near Pensacola,  around 4:15 am. Tail end runners around mid day. Pensacola United Methodist Church and Laurel Branch Baptist  Church will man the three stations in the Pensacola area including serving breakfasts. The Blue Ridge Relay is one of the longest running relays in the United States. The race sets a minimum of 4 persons per team,  maximum 12 persons,  who rotate through 36 transition areas during the race.