Hundreds gathered in Columbia Monday to race in the Heart of America Marathon, the second-oldest continuously running marathon in the United States.
Organizers say the marathon is known for its difficult course, which starts at the Boone County History and Culture Center at Nifong Park and includes portions of the Katy Trail, the community of Easley and the winding, uphill landscape on Route N. Because the course is open, meaning the roads are not blocked off, runners had to run single file on all roads with traffic.
The race began at 6 a.m. In past years, it was much warmer than it was Monday.
“Usually it is much hotter than it is today,” race director L.J. Flynn said. “We’ve got some really nice weather … But, there’s still a really steep hill, Easley Hill, right after Cooper’s Landing, so it’ll still be a tough race.”
Heart of America Marathon course map
There were 12 aid stations …