BECKLEY — Across Beckley, two events will bring hundreds of people to their feet Saturday as a decade-old race runs again.
Runners will compete in the upcoming Beckley Half Marathon and 5K as the event gets up and running after an 11-year absence.
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Meanwhile, the New River Region Walk to End Alzheimer’s will bring families, caregivers and supporters together at the Beckley-Raleigh County Convention Center.
For participants in the Alzheimer’s walk, that purpose takes shape through five colored pinwheel flowers, each representing a different connection to Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, according to Christina Beck, senior walk manager with the Alzheimer’s Association West Virginia Chapter.
“Blue is they’re living with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia,” Beck said. “Orange is you may not have a connection, but you do support our mission and our cause. Yellow is for our caregivers. Purple, unfortunately, is for those who’ve lost somebody to the disease.”
One color represents something organizers have yet to see.
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“We haven’t had a white flower yet, but that will be our survivor flower — because we definitely believe that one day we will find a cure, and hopefully soon,” Beck said.
The symbolism reflects the larger mission behind Saturday’s walk, which Beck described as both a fundraiser and a gathering meant to remind families affected by Alzheimer’s that they do not face the disease alone.
Beck said 120 participants representing 23 teams had registered at the time of the interview.
On the other side of the city, Active Southern West Virginia will bring back the Beckley Half Marathon alongside a 5K.
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Supported in part by the Beckley-Raleigh County Chamber of Commerce, the City of Beckley, the Beckley Area Foundation and Visit Southern West Virginia, the race will include overall first-, second- and third-place awards, along with awards in several age divisions.
Jenni Canterbury, development director for Active Southern West Virginia, described the half marathon as a longtime Beckley tradition finally returning after more than a decade.
“The Beckley Half Marathon used to be something that happened annually in Beckley,” Canterbury said. “The last one that took place in Beckley was 11 years ago.”
Canterbury said Active Southern West Virginia worked with the chamber and city to revive the race, while more than 30 volunteers plan to help with Saturday morning’s event.
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Michelle Rotellini, president and CEO of the Chamber, expressed enthusiasm for the marathon’s return and thanked Active Southern West Virginia for its role in furthering the competition and offering new features for competitors.
“The Chamber coordinated this event for more than 17 years,” Rotellini said. “And while there came a time when participation was declining and the running community was evolving, we always knew the race was something special that would have a future in Beckley.”
Nearly 200 runners had registered between the half marathon and 5K at the time of the interview.
Both races will start and finish at the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine.
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The Beckley Half Marathon will start at the Exhibition Coal Mine before following the McManus Rail Trail toward Mabscott, looping back through downtown Beckley near WVU Tech and returning to the Exhibition Coal Mine.
The 5K follows a shorter out-and-back route through New River Park and onto the McManus Rail Trail.
Canterbury said runners will primarily use sidewalks, although motorists should expect traffic changes at several intersections along the course.
Traffic signals at Prince and Kanawha streets and at Johnstown Road and Kanawha Street near Beaver Avenue will flash red during the race.
Drivers should treat the flashing signals as stop signs.
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Water and snack stations will also operate along the course, while Black Knight will provide runners with a finish-line meal featuring beans and cornbread and pepperoni rolls.
Beyond competition, Canterbury said proceeds from the race help Active Southern West Virginia provide free exercise opportunities throughout the region.
“The goal of Active Southern West Virginia is to remove barriers for people, to make it easier for people to participate in physical activity,” Canterbury said.
Canterbury said the organization averages more than 150 free physical activity opportunities each month and also supports children’s running clubs in schools through mini grants.
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Participants registered for Saturday’s races include runners from West Virginia and 11 other states.
Though the two events serve different purposes, both will use movement Saturday to bring people together around health, support and community.
The half marathon begins at the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine at 8 a.m., with the 5K following at 8:30 a.m., while the New River Region Walk to End Alzheimer’s begins at 9 a.m. at the Beckley-Raleigh County Convention Center.
