Focus on a raceInterview

9 questions to discover a marathon : Terrapin Mountain Marathon

17 Aug, 2008 (Sun)

Clark Zealand will be our guide this week to present the Terrapin Mountain Marathon. And when talking about endurance running, Clark is an expert. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada and is an Assistant Professor of Sport Management at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. He also has the fifth fastest time in Canadian ultra-marathon history for a 100 mile trail race in 15:03.

Clark Zealand


Hello, on March 29th, you’ll be organizing the Terrapin Mountain Marathon. Can you tell us where it is located?
The race is held in Sedalia, Virginia USA about 15 minutes from Bedford, Virginia.

Why was it created in the first place?
Ten years ago there was a half-marathon version that lasted only two years. It was a great race on a great mountain and I wanted to bring it back as a full marathon.

What kind of route have you set up for the runners? How would you describe it?
It is a very challenging course including steep terrain as well as technical trails and a couple stream crossings. Runners follow the Terrapin Mountain trail for most of the race.

How many runners do you expect on Sunday morning? What type of runners do you plan to attract?
This is the second year and we plan to double the 140 entrants we had last year. This past year we had a very competitive race with only 15 seconds between the overall men’s winner and second place. We also have recreational runners who attend.

Do you organize other races during the Week-End? If so, on what distances?
In addition to the marathon, I have brought back the original half-marathon race as well.

At that time of the year, what kind of weather can we expect?
The end of march can bring a variety of weather; it could range from 5 to 20 Celsius.

Have you planned festivities around the marathon?
In the future we plan to include family-oriented activities during the race weekend.

terrapin top 5


2008 top 5 runners


The marathon finished, what advice would you give a runner who has never been to Sedalia before? A good restaurant, a fancy sightseeing?
They should hike the nearby Peaks of Otter Mountains, visit the WWII D-Day Memorial in Bedford, and take in some of the many local Civil War sights.

In a single sentence, what would you tell the readers of 42k195 to make them register for the Terrapin Mountain Marathon?
If you are looking for a challenging trail marathon with beautiful scenery, managed professionally and definitely not like your usual road marathon, then Terrapin is a great choice.

Thank you Clark

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