Submitted photo Runners battle it out for positioning at last year’s Blackwater Canyon Half Marathon in Tucker County. This year’s race is scheduled for Saturday and will feature 200 competitors.

THOMAS — Each year the Blackwater Canyon Half Marathon continues to grow, with a record number of participants signed up for this weekend’s event.

The race, scheduled for 9 a.m. Saturday, will take place on the Blackwater Canyon and Allegheny Highlands Trail, running from Thomas to Mill Race Park in Parsons.

Proceeds from the event support the Highland Trail Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to trail development in the Potomac Highlands of West Virginia.

“This is the fifth year of our race event and we have the most registrations that we’ve ever had,” Highlands Trail Foundation President Karen Carper told The Inter-Mountain. “It’s going to be a record year for us and because of the support we have gotten, the race has allowed us to set up a fund with the Tucker Community Foundation that is now endowed and we will be able to announce some funds available for mini grants starting in the fall.”

For the first time ever, the point-to-point race has reached the maximum of 200 participants. More than 30 states will be represented at this year’s event, and participants’ ages range from 12 years old to 76. West Virginia residents Sean Flanagan and Sarah Thompson were the winners of the competition a year ago.

“Each year racers attend this event from far and wide,” Carper said. “They come from all over the country and the age range has been pretty amazing. We had a gentleman in the race one year that was 80 years old.”

Last year’s race saw 105 competitors cover the 13.1-mile race course. Other than a few sections of the course that are on gravel roads, the course is a true trail race. Close to 5 1/2 miles of the race is spent in the Blackwater Trail area.

“When we started this event in 2018, the Blackwater Canyon wasn’t open,” Carper said. “As far as I know, the Highland Trail Foundation is the only organization that has been able to have a sanctioned event in the Blackwater Canyon.

“We have a permit from the U.S. Forest Service to use their property, and an agreement with Allegheny Wood Products to use their property, since its half-and-half.”

Locally made and sourced products and prizes will be handed out to the winners. Highlands Trail Foundation volunteers will provide food and drinks for runners at aid stations along the course.

The top male and female finishers will receive handmade baskets with the race logo burned into the wood base. The baskets were made by local runner and race director Sarah Forbes and her running friend, Rachel Weber. 

Mugs by MUD Ceramics of Thomas will be awarded to the top three finishers in seven age categories. All finishers will be presented with a wooden medallion with the race logo burned into the center. These unique medals are specially made by Forbes with help from her family.

Racers who have crossed the finish line at all Blackwater Canyon Half Marathon events will be presented with a five-year participation award, a glass paperweight handcrafted in Davis at Glass by Scott. 

“We are psyched that we have had this event for five years and what it has done for us in supporting our organization and what we’ve been able to do with those funds,” Carper said. “And without all of our supporters and sponsors, we couldn’t begin to pull off an event like this.”

Sponsors for this year’s event include: Kingsford Manufacturing, Dominion Energy, St. George Medical Clinic, Tucker County Convention & Visitors Bureau, McClumsy, Valley Health Care, Seven Performance, Davis Trust Company, Mountain Valley Bank, Preston-Taylor Community Health, Tip Top Coffee, Tucker County Family Resource Network, Tucker Community Foundation, Piccolo Paula’s Cafe, Elkins Physical Therapy & Sports Injury Clinic, City of Parsons, Citizens Bank of West Virginia, Davis Health System, Mary S. Boyd, Pediatrics; Papa John’s, Saloman, Purple Lizard Maps, Hydrapak and Skratch Labs. 

The Highlands Trail Foundation recently hosted an Appreciation Luncheon at Piccolo Paula’s in Parsons to thank all of its supporters. Those attending learned what the Highlands Trail Foundation has been able to accomplish with proceeds.

For more information on the organization or Saturday’s race, visit highlandstrailwv.org.