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Marathon Details - Peak to Creek Marathon (formerly Ridge to Bridge Marathon)

North America Marathons > USA > NC > Morganton > Peak to Creek Marathon (formerly Ridge to Bridge Marathon)

Peak to Creek Marathon (formerly Ridge to Bridge Marathon)

Peak to Creek Marathon (formerly Ridge to Bridge Marathon) & Burke Recovery

Morganton, NC USA

~~October 24, 2020~~ - CANCELLED

http://www.burkerecovery.com/peak-to-creek-marathon

News

Marathon Results

By Year:

2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 Top 3 Finishers

Race Details

Remote, mostly unpaved course descending from Jonas Ridge in the mountains of western NC; gently rolling for first 10K, followed by significant descent for next 15K; gradual descent through the finish.

Contact Information

Name:	David & Rhonda Lee
Address:	112 Riverside Court Morganton, NC 28655
Phone Number:	828-432-6664
Email:	Email the organizers

Race Organizer

Peak to Creek celebrates its 11th year! (1/23/16)

David Lee

Come and see why this was among the top five best places (#4, actually) to qualify for Boston in 2011, according to Marathonguide.com*. 2,700 feet of descent with only a few rises and negligible traffic to interrupt the experience. Coupled with panoramic views of the mountains through the Pisgah National Forest and Wilson Creek Gorge, the P2CM offers a great venue for the goal-minded runner as well as those who prefer a more leisurely, scenic tour of the Blue Ridge Mountains and Southern Foothills.

Registration opens June 1st.

*http://www.marathonguide.com/races/BostonMarathonQualifyingRaces.cfm?Year=2011

Runner Reviews (88)

Course 4.5

Organization 4.8

Spectators 3.3

Write a review

Number of comments: 88 [displaying comments 1 to 11]

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 9 > ]

D. B. from Georgia, USA (10/29/2019) "Spectacular Course, Iffy Organization" (about: 2019) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Peak to Creek Marathon (formerly Ridge to Bridge Marathon) COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 1 The most scenic course one could imagine - and with the right training, this would be a very quick course. Organization a bit too bare-bones. Buses to the start line that arrived an hour late, locked bathrooms on these buses after the hour wait, too few start line portapotties after the hour wait and 45 minute bus ride, while being rushed to the start line and a failure to record chip start times were the most egregious misses. Fans were few but that is expected, it was a race on forest access roads.
J. W. from NC (11/7/2017) "Be Careful What you Wish For...." (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 2 Peak to Creek Marathon (formerly Ridge to Bridge Marathon)s COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 1 Peak to Creek is a nice small marathon. If you are looking for frills, crowds and a nice medal, this is not the place for you. However, don't be fooled by the course profile. For every person that sets a PR, there is another that shot their legs by mile 16 and ran the second half 15 minutes slower than the first. A few years ago, I was the latter. This year, I was the former. This course is basically 3 separate races. Miles 0 to 5.7 are a nice warm-up with some decent uphills and downhills with no net elevation gain/loss. Miles 5.7 to 15 are all downhill with a couple of uphills to test you. Some downhills were so steep that at about mile 12, I was hoping the downhills would just stop. This is where you make or break your race. Take it back a notch and just let gravity do its work. The time or savings on your legs will work itself out later if you let it. I probably got passed by about 30 people in this stretch and passed about 27 of them after the hills ended. There are some tips to running downhill such as taking shorter strides and not hammering the quads too much. I'd suggest practicing to see what works best for you. From mile 16 onwards, the people who saved their legs pretty much dodged the broken souls of people who went out way too fast. You don't realize the pounding on your quads until you get to the turnaround right before mile 16 and that is where the race really starts. If you didn't play your cards right, you will curse the running Gods, question your own pitiful existence, wallow in self-pity and have sisyphean dreams of the food you will be eating if you ever get to the end. I've been there - it is not a good place to be. Nonetheless, great race, small-town feel with a great community. You'll have to watch your steps on the downhill portion (miles 5.7 - 15) since they less-traveled gravel roads, but the rest are either asphalt or well-traveled. A big thank you to the people who run this race. It seems like a true labor of love and for a good cause.
D. G. from Syracuse (11/2/2017) "Great run down a mountain" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Peak to Creek Marathon (formerly Ridge to Bridge Marathon) COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 I will preface this by saying I am a trail runner with experience with hills and and also spend a lot of time running on crushed stone flat surfaces. I also love the outdoors, nature, etc. So, take my comments with that bias because I could see how some people that like pavement, that need to have the support of a crowd, all the extras/frills of bigger marathons, etc, could not like this one. That said, I loved this race!!! There seems to be two 'bigger' towns near the end/bus pickup day of, Lenoir and Morganton. They were about 80 mins from Charlotte. From there, about 25-40 mins to the bus pickup morning of (where the race ends). If you're not familiar with the area, do a dry run to the place since there is no cell service and early in the morning, on dark roads, it is not easy to find! Bus was a nice chartered bus, not a school bus. The ride up was dark and relaxing. Not enough porta potties at the beginning, so that would be one recommendation since many had to be resourceful. The race started uneventful, real low-key. If you are trying to BQ and need a lot of hoopla, this is not your race. If you are self-disciplined (or just looking for a great race in nature), this is your race. The first six miles were paved, out about 3.5, back about 2, maybe 2.5. It was a rolling section with nice views. Temps probably about 38-42, light gloves and long sleeve extra shirt. By mile 2.5, I tossed them to the table (and they were driven back to the finish!). The rolling section was a good start since it allowed to not go out too fast and really warm up before the fast downhill started. At 6 or so, you enter the forest and go dooooooown for about 7-8 miles. Some of it is rolling/flat, but several miles are real steep and fast! I had no issues at any time with footing but maybe I'm used to trails. It is really runable but since there are stones, it is not as fast as pavement. This section is great to enjoy the running and it is all shaded in case of a sunny day (we had overcast the entire run). At around 14 or so, there was an out and back, some pavement time, which was an ok change for a mile or two. After running for the 3-4 miles with the out and back and on country roads, I missed the 'forest' and sure enough, at around mile 18 or 19, you took a right onto the forest road and ran flat/steady decline for about 4 miles along the creek, thorugh the forests. The last three or so had a bit more of a decline but it was not terribly steep. The only part I didn't like was that once you turned into the resort, I was sort of unsure of distance, where to go, etc. I kept thinking it was over and had to yell to a few people saying 'where's the finish'...wondering when I could pick it up without dying before the finish! Not a huge deal, but worth looking into! The people at the end were friendly and it was a nice little party. However, I was pretty beat and didn't stay long! In all, this is a run worth trying out and if you have experience with hills (down) and running on non-pavement, this is for you. The weather was perfect for a marathon - 40 at start, probably mid 40s the entire time, not much or any wind (blocked by forest?), overcast, etc!! Note: The spectators rating of a 1 appears to skew my actual rating of this. Since there really should not be spectators on this course, I'm giving it a five as to not skew the final ranking. If you need that, you won't like this race!
D. S. from Charlottesville (10/30/2017) "Take the scenic route" (about: 2017) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Peak to Creek Marathon (formerly Ridge to Bridge Marathon) COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 If you want a big race with large crowds, run some other race. If you want a GREAT small race with breath-taking scenery, then run this race. It has the feel of trail running, but allows you to run fast. Your legs will hurt after this race. But, if you prepare properly you should be able to run fast. I set my PR by 4 minutes. The race director and volunteers are great. And, nothing is better than taking a seat next to the fire in the lodge after the race.
W. C. from Pittsford NY (10/30/2017) "Perfect low-key marathon!" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Peak to Creek Marathon (formerly Ridge to Bridge Marathon) COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 1 I loved this marathon! The route is SO beautiful, the course is a comfortable down-hill, the aid station volunteers were uplifting, David Lee (race director) did a great job keeping everyone well-informed right down to the last minute, and the overall vibe positive and fun. THANK YOU!
B. T. from Huntington, WV (10/30/2017) "Find another marathon." (about: 2017) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Peak to Creek Marathon (formerly Ridge to Bridge Marathon) COURSE: 1 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 1 The 2017 Peak to Creak Marathon was a miserable experience, start to finish. It's advertised as a fast, downhill race, but there are enough uphill climbs to make the course more challenging than you might think. The terrain is unimaginably rough. Apparently there is beautiful scenery, but I rarely noticed because I was looking down trying to dodge rocks the size of my fist, divots and wash-out cuts. But it is impossible to dodge them all. You will step on rocks and in ditches. Only a small portion of the course is actually paved. If you want to know your pace, bring an old fashioned stop watch. Cell service is so bad that my app was a mile ahead the whole race, and my friends' Garmin watches were off entirely. I did not see one first aid kit or EMT worker anywhere for the duration of the race. And that concerned me. I passed a runner who was definitely struggling and needed help. Another man from our group could have used some assistance but had to pass the finish line before he received any attention. It's a lonely race. Peak to Creek has zero town support. I've run races where thousands of people stood and cheered and waved signs. However, this race is so small, and runners are so sparse, there were times when maybe only one person was in view in front or behind me. I never thought I needed much encouragement, but this proved that running entirely alone in the woods at mile 22 was even more mentally and emotionally taxing than I could bear. Overall, the race was poorly organized. The mile signs literally have a handwritten number with a marker on a poster board. There was not one porta potty on the entire course. How is that possible? I don't mind going #2 in the woods, but I just wasnt prepared for that. And there weren't any great spots for it. So, I continued to run with a queasy feeling in my stomach from mile 13 on. Finally, most workers were nice and friendly, but not all of them. The guy at the Marathon gas station where runners gather before the race was rude to everyone. What a way to start your morning. I can't imagine why anyone would pay to run this race. Run 26 miles in your own town. Buy yourself a $5 medal and save $95.
P. K. from Pittsburgh, PA (11/1/2016) "Beautiful scenery-tougher course than you think" (about: 2016) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Peak to Creek Marathon (formerly Ridge to Bridge Marathon) COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Most of the course is on rough dirt/gravel roads (and I use the term road, loosely) there are a lot of twists and turns on the course. It is very difficult to run the turns tight because they are washed out in places or very limited traction due to the gravel in other places. This is not just a downhill course. It is hugely downhill but there are a few sustained up hill runs. The long downhill portions will tax your quads. Aid stations are not every mile like larger marathons or even every other mile. They could use some advance notice when aid stations are approaching in case you want to get a gel in and top it off with some gatoraid. The race uses regular gatoraid instead of the endurance formula, so you may need to bring salt tabs. This may sound like a lot of negativity so let me tell you what is good. The scenery is great, good enough you may not even notice that there isn't any crowd support for the majority of the race. You also run under almost constant shade which helps on the sunny days and keeps the course cooler and more comfortable. The race is small, some people don't like that but while waiting for the race to start at the Marathon Station and general store you get to talk with other runners. Very nice and friendly group, as are all the volunteers and race staff. Lastly while I didn't eat any of the BBQ- It smelled great.
D. R. from NC (11/9/2015) "Great small race in a beautiful place" (about: 2015) 4-5 previous marathons \| 2 Peak to Creek Marathon (formerly Ridge to Bridge Marathon)s COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Course is gorgeous and fast. Tough to resist going out to fast on the first half. Not many spectators, though I really appreciated the enthusiasm of the ones that were there. Organizers and volunteers got the details right- good communication, prompt start, enough aid stations, nice post race spread, solid medals and handmade pottery for age group awards. Looking forward to coming back!
D. R. from North Carolina (10/25/2015) "There is no lovelier place to be on a fall day" (about: 2015) 6-10 previous marathons \| 2 Peak to Creek Marathon (formerly Ridge to Bridge Marathon)s COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I ran this marathon in 2013 and 2015. The course is just stunning. There are no crowds or frills, but organization was great and everything you need is there. The first year I trained hard on primarily flat terrain. I had a blast until my meltdown over the last five miles, missing my BQ goal by 20 seconds. This year I trained with less mileage but incorporated more hills and unpaved roads and did a couple long runs down from the top of Mount Mitchell for a big drop in elevation. This made all the difference. I was surprised with a big PR and 10 minutes under BQ. I feel like I grinned the whole way! Regardless of the results, if you can soak in the experience during the middle miles of gliding downhill through a pristine national forest, which at times feels like a cathedral of fall foliage, this privilege alone is completely worth it. It is also worth shuffling down to beautiful Wilson Creek at the finish for an ice bath or just some scenic pizza eating. This is not an easy marathon, but with mindful training and pacing it can be a spectacularly fast and fun one. Thanks to organizers and all the lovely volunteers!
D. S. from Upstate SC (2/22/2015) "Beautiful, Unique Course but Organization was poor" (about: 2014) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Peak to Creek Marathon (formerly Ridge to Bridge Marathon) COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 2 I whole-heartedly agree with T.S. of his assessment of 2014's race. I went into this race with very high expectations from all I had read and heard from prior years' races. First off and most importantly, the transportation to the top, an on-time start, and the race timing was all flawless. Without those things, you don't have a race. The course was gorgeous and very well marked and turns staffed. Other than that, I can't rave about much at all. The aid stations were enough in number, but I had to ask if they had GU to get some. Some stations didn't have Gatorade. Coming in to the finish, the course weaved through a campground and was a horrible way to finish. At the finish itself, I had to stagger 50 yards to find water and also had to ask a volunteer for my medal. For a marathon to have a medal as cheap as the one we were given was horrible. The t-shirts had a dated design and a 'technical' fabric that is not comfortable. Communication from the race director prior to the race was non-existent. The awards were good, though: top finishers received hand-made pottery and age group winners received pint glasses...with the old, dated design. I know the race organizer has the ability to make this race truly spectacular because I've heard runners talk about it. For 2014, however, the race wasn't great. I did PR though by over 12 minutes...it's a fast course!

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 9 > ]



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D. B. from Georgia, USA (10/29/2019) "Spectacular Course, Iffy Organization" (about: 2019) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Peak to Creek Marathon (formerly Ridge to Bridge Marathon) COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 1 The most scenic course one could imagine - and with the right training, this would be a very quick course. Organization a bit too bare-bones. Buses to the start line that arrived an hour late, locked bathrooms on these buses after the hour wait, too few start line portapotties after the hour wait and 45 minute bus ride, while being rushed to the start line and a failure to record chip start times were the most egregious misses. Fans were few but that is expected, it was a race on forest access roads.
J. W. from NC (11/7/2017) "Be Careful What you Wish For...." (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 2 Peak to Creek Marathon (formerly Ridge to Bridge Marathon)s COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 1 Peak to Creek is a nice small marathon. If you are looking for frills, crowds and a nice medal, this is not the place for you. However, don't be fooled by the course profile. For every person that sets a PR, there is another that shot their legs by mile 16 and ran the second half 15 minutes slower than the first. A few years ago, I was the latter. This year, I was the former. This course is basically 3 separate races. Miles 0 to 5.7 are a nice warm-up with some decent uphills and downhills with no net elevation gain/loss. Miles 5.7 to 15 are all downhill with a couple of uphills to test you. Some downhills were so steep that at about mile 12, I was hoping the downhills would just stop. This is where you make or break your race. Take it back a notch and just let gravity do its work. The time or savings on your legs will work itself out later if you let it. I probably got passed by about 30 people in this stretch and passed about 27 of them after the hills ended. There are some tips to running downhill such as taking shorter strides and not hammering the quads too much. I'd suggest practicing to see what works best for you. From mile 16 onwards, the people who saved their legs pretty much dodged the broken souls of people who went out way too fast. You don't realize the pounding on your quads until you get to the turnaround right before mile 16 and that is where the race really starts. If you didn't play your cards right, you will curse the running Gods, question your own pitiful existence, wallow in self-pity and have sisyphean dreams of the food you will be eating if you ever get to the end. I've been there - it is not a good place to be. Nonetheless, great race, small-town feel with a great community. You'll have to watch your steps on the downhill portion (miles 5.7 - 15) since they less-traveled gravel roads, but the rest are either asphalt or well-traveled. A big thank you to the people who run this race. It seems like a true labor of love and for a good cause.
D. G. from Syracuse (11/2/2017) "Great run down a mountain" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Peak to Creek Marathon (formerly Ridge to Bridge Marathon) COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 I will preface this by saying I am a trail runner with experience with hills and and also spend a lot of time running on crushed stone flat surfaces. I also love the outdoors, nature, etc. So, take my comments with that bias because I could see how some people that like pavement, that need to have the support of a crowd, all the extras/frills of bigger marathons, etc, could not like this one. That said, I loved this race!!! There seems to be two 'bigger' towns near the end/bus pickup day of, Lenoir and Morganton. They were about 80 mins from Charlotte. From there, about 25-40 mins to the bus pickup morning of (where the race ends). If you're not familiar with the area, do a dry run to the place since there is no cell service and early in the morning, on dark roads, it is not easy to find! Bus was a nice chartered bus, not a school bus. The ride up was dark and relaxing. Not enough porta potties at the beginning, so that would be one recommendation since many had to be resourceful. The race started uneventful, real low-key. If you are trying to BQ and need a lot of hoopla, this is not your race. If you are self-disciplined (or just looking for a great race in nature), this is your race. The first six miles were paved, out about 3.5, back about 2, maybe 2.5. It was a rolling section with nice views. Temps probably about 38-42, light gloves and long sleeve extra shirt. By mile 2.5, I tossed them to the table (and they were driven back to the finish!). The rolling section was a good start since it allowed to not go out too fast and really warm up before the fast downhill started. At 6 or so, you enter the forest and go dooooooown for about 7-8 miles. Some of it is rolling/flat, but several miles are real steep and fast! I had no issues at any time with footing but maybe I'm used to trails. It is really runable but since there are stones, it is not as fast as pavement. This section is great to enjoy the running and it is all shaded in case of a sunny day (we had overcast the entire run). At around 14 or so, there was an out and back, some pavement time, which was an ok change for a mile or two. After running for the 3-4 miles with the out and back and on country roads, I missed the 'forest' and sure enough, at around mile 18 or 19, you took a right onto the forest road and ran flat/steady decline for about 4 miles along the creek, thorugh the forests. The last three or so had a bit more of a decline but it was not terribly steep. The only part I didn't like was that once you turned into the resort, I was sort of unsure of distance, where to go, etc. I kept thinking it was over and had to yell to a few people saying 'where's the finish'...wondering when I could pick it up without dying before the finish! Not a huge deal, but worth looking into! The people at the end were friendly and it was a nice little party. However, I was pretty beat and didn't stay long! In all, this is a run worth trying out and if you have experience with hills (down) and running on non-pavement, this is for you. The weather was perfect for a marathon - 40 at start, probably mid 40s the entire time, not much or any wind (blocked by forest?), overcast, etc!! Note: The spectators rating of a 1 appears to skew my actual rating of this. Since there really should not be spectators on this course, I'm giving it a five as to not skew the final ranking. If you need that, you won't like this race!
D. S. from Charlottesville (10/30/2017) "Take the scenic route" (about: 2017) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Peak to Creek Marathon (formerly Ridge to Bridge Marathon) COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 If you want a big race with large crowds, run some other race. If you want a GREAT small race with breath-taking scenery, then run this race. It has the feel of trail running, but allows you to run fast. Your legs will hurt after this race. But, if you prepare properly you should be able to run fast. I set my PR by 4 minutes. The race director and volunteers are great. And, nothing is better than taking a seat next to the fire in the lodge after the race.
W. C. from Pittsford NY (10/30/2017) "Perfect low-key marathon!" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Peak to Creek Marathon (formerly Ridge to Bridge Marathon) COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 1 I loved this marathon! The route is SO beautiful, the course is a comfortable down-hill, the aid station volunteers were uplifting, David Lee (race director) did a great job keeping everyone well-informed right down to the last minute, and the overall vibe positive and fun. THANK YOU!
B. T. from Huntington, WV (10/30/2017) "Find another marathon." (about: 2017) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Peak to Creek Marathon (formerly Ridge to Bridge Marathon) COURSE: 1 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 1 The 2017 Peak to Creak Marathon was a miserable experience, start to finish. It's advertised as a fast, downhill race, but there are enough uphill climbs to make the course more challenging than you might think. The terrain is unimaginably rough. Apparently there is beautiful scenery, but I rarely noticed because I was looking down trying to dodge rocks the size of my fist, divots and wash-out cuts. But it is impossible to dodge them all. You will step on rocks and in ditches. Only a small portion of the course is actually paved. If you want to know your pace, bring an old fashioned stop watch. Cell service is so bad that my app was a mile ahead the whole race, and my friends' Garmin watches were off entirely. I did not see one first aid kit or EMT worker anywhere for the duration of the race. And that concerned me. I passed a runner who was definitely struggling and needed help. Another man from our group could have used some assistance but had to pass the finish line before he received any attention. It's a lonely race. Peak to Creek has zero town support. I've run races where thousands of people stood and cheered and waved signs. However, this race is so small, and runners are so sparse, there were times when maybe only one person was in view in front or behind me. I never thought I needed much encouragement, but this proved that running entirely alone in the woods at mile 22 was even more mentally and emotionally taxing than I could bear. Overall, the race was poorly organized. The mile signs literally have a handwritten number with a marker on a poster board. There was not one porta potty on the entire course. How is that possible? I don't mind going #2 in the woods, but I just wasnt prepared for that. And there weren't any great spots for it. So, I continued to run with a queasy feeling in my stomach from mile 13 on. Finally, most workers were nice and friendly, but not all of them. The guy at the Marathon gas station where runners gather before the race was rude to everyone. What a way to start your morning. I can't imagine why anyone would pay to run this race. Run 26 miles in your own town. Buy yourself a $5 medal and save $95.
P. K. from Pittsburgh, PA (11/1/2016) "Beautiful scenery-tougher course than you think" (about: 2016) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Peak to Creek Marathon (formerly Ridge to Bridge Marathon) COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Most of the course is on rough dirt/gravel roads (and I use the term road, loosely) there are a lot of twists and turns on the course. It is very difficult to run the turns tight because they are washed out in places or very limited traction due to the gravel in other places. This is not just a downhill course. It is hugely downhill but there are a few sustained up hill runs. The long downhill portions will tax your quads. Aid stations are not every mile like larger marathons or even every other mile. They could use some advance notice when aid stations are approaching in case you want to get a gel in and top it off with some gatoraid. The race uses regular gatoraid instead of the endurance formula, so you may need to bring salt tabs. This may sound like a lot of negativity so let me tell you what is good. The scenery is great, good enough you may not even notice that there isn't any crowd support for the majority of the race. You also run under almost constant shade which helps on the sunny days and keeps the course cooler and more comfortable. The race is small, some people don't like that but while waiting for the race to start at the Marathon Station and general store you get to talk with other runners. Very nice and friendly group, as are all the volunteers and race staff. Lastly while I didn't eat any of the BBQ- It smelled great.
D. R. from NC (11/9/2015) "Great small race in a beautiful place" (about: 2015) 4-5 previous marathons \| 2 Peak to Creek Marathon (formerly Ridge to Bridge Marathon)s COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Course is gorgeous and fast. Tough to resist going out to fast on the first half. Not many spectators, though I really appreciated the enthusiasm of the ones that were there. Organizers and volunteers got the details right- good communication, prompt start, enough aid stations, nice post race spread, solid medals and handmade pottery for age group awards. Looking forward to coming back!
D. R. from North Carolina (10/25/2015) "There is no lovelier place to be on a fall day" (about: 2015) 6-10 previous marathons \| 2 Peak to Creek Marathon (formerly Ridge to Bridge Marathon)s COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I ran this marathon in 2013 and 2015. The course is just stunning. There are no crowds or frills, but organization was great and everything you need is there. The first year I trained hard on primarily flat terrain. I had a blast until my meltdown over the last five miles, missing my BQ goal by 20 seconds. This year I trained with less mileage but incorporated more hills and unpaved roads and did a couple long runs down from the top of Mount Mitchell for a big drop in elevation. This made all the difference. I was surprised with a big PR and 10 minutes under BQ. I feel like I grinned the whole way! Regardless of the results, if you can soak in the experience during the middle miles of gliding downhill through a pristine national forest, which at times feels like a cathedral of fall foliage, this privilege alone is completely worth it. It is also worth shuffling down to beautiful Wilson Creek at the finish for an ice bath or just some scenic pizza eating. This is not an easy marathon, but with mindful training and pacing it can be a spectacularly fast and fun one. Thanks to organizers and all the lovely volunteers!
D. S. from Upstate SC (2/22/2015) "Beautiful, Unique Course but Organization was poor" (about: 2014) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Peak to Creek Marathon (formerly Ridge to Bridge Marathon) COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 2 I whole-heartedly agree with T.S. of his assessment of 2014's race. I went into this race with very high expectations from all I had read and heard from prior years' races. First off and most importantly, the transportation to the top, an on-time start, and the race timing was all flawless. Without those things, you don't have a race. The course was gorgeous and very well marked and turns staffed. Other than that, I can't rave about much at all. The aid stations were enough in number, but I had to ask if they had GU to get some. Some stations didn't have Gatorade. Coming in to the finish, the course weaved through a campground and was a horrible way to finish. At the finish itself, I had to stagger 50 yards to find water and also had to ask a volunteer for my medal. For a marathon to have a medal as cheap as the one we were given was horrible. The t-shirts had a dated design and a 'technical' fabric that is not comfortable. Communication from the race director prior to the race was non-existent. The awards were good, though: top finishers received hand-made pottery and age group winners received pint glasses...with the old, dated design. I know the race organizer has the ability to make this race truly spectacular because I've heard runners talk about it. For 2014, however, the race wasn't great. I did PR though by over 12 minutes...it's a fast course!

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Marathon Details - Peak to Creek Marathon (formerly Ridge to Bridge Marathon)