RALEIGH, N.C.—The Rock ‘n’ Roll marathon and half marathon series is taking over Raleigh roads this weekend.
The races are back for a second year, after two runners died near the half marathon finish line in 2014. Race organizer Alex Bennett says there is more medical coverage for 2015.
"We have a lot more medical infrastructure out there. We pride ourselves in that type of medical infrastructure. We had that last year as well. It was a hot year last year so it was 85-degrees, humid, that might play a role so we have more water enhancement this year, and again our medical teams are enhanced even more than normal,” he said.
Bennett said the 26.2 mile marathon course has also changed this year.
"We changed it to really accommodate the runners to try and make it as flat as possible...we can't control the hills, but we can control where the race goes to avoid the hills,” he said.
About 9,000 runners representing all 50 states and nine countries will race on Sunday. Danae Medlin is participating in the half-marathon. She says she is excited for the live music along the course.
"Typically I used to have music, my music in my ears just to keep myself going, but we have the music going for us, so that will be better,” she said.
While this is the largest race she’s ever run in, Medlin said she is not scared.
"There's every pace, like there's going to be many people that are going to walk, lots that are running somewhat, slow then we have the really fast people so it's not intimidating,” she said.
Major Road Closures Include:
· Salisbury Street: Whole road from W. Hargett Street to South Street
· Fayetteville Street: Whole road from W. Hargett Street to E. Lenoir Street
· McDowell Street: Whole road from W. South Street to W. Jones Street
· Blount Street: Whole road from E. North Street to Martin Luther King Boulevard
· Martin Luther King Boulevard: Westbound from Blount Street to Chavis Way
· Chavis Way: Whole Road from Martin Luther King Boulevard to E. Davie Street
· Oakwood Avenue: Whole Road from S. Bloodworth Street to Watauga Street
· Brookside Drive: Whole Road from Watauga Street to Glascock Street
*Split intersection on Brookside and Glascock Street
· Glascock Street: Whole Road from Brookside Drive to Wake Forest Road
· E/W. Peace Street: Westbound from N. Blount Street to W. Johnson St./Bellwood Drive
*Eastbound lanes open to traffic
· Clark Avenue: Westbound from W. Johnson Street/Bellwood Drive to Gardner Street
*Eastbound lanes open to traffic
· Faircloth St: Southbound from Hillsborough Street to E. Campus Drive (Faircloth Street entrance)
*Northbound lanes open to traffic from Clark Avenue to Wade Avenue
· Hillsborough Street: Whole Road from Faircloth Street to Pullen Road
· Pullen Road: Whole road from Hillsborough Street to Western Boulevard
· Western Boulevard: Eastbound from Pullen Road to Nazareth Street
*Westbound lanes open to traffic
· Centennial Parkway: Northbound from Nazareth Street to Oval Drive
· Avant Ferry Road: Northbound from Varsity Drive to Lake Johnson East Trail Loop
*Southbound lanes open to traffic
· Trailwood Drive: Northbound from Avent Ferry Road to Main Campus Drive
· Main Campus Drive: Northbound from Trailwood Drive to Achievement Drive
· S. Saunders St: Southbound from Lake Wheeler Road to Lenoir Street
*Northbound lane open to traffic from Lake Wheeler Road to South Street
· Boylan Avenue: Whole road from W. Lenoir Street to W. Morgan Street
· Morgan Street: Whole road from S. Boylan Avenue to S. Dawson Street
· Dawson Street: Whole road from W. Morgan Street to W. Hargett Street
· Hargett Street: Whole road from S. Dawson Street to Fayetteville Street
Most road closures and detours will be in effect between the hours of 6:00 am and 3:00 pm. The race starts at 7:00 am, and streets will reopen on a rolling basis as soon as the last participant has passed and all course support materials have been removed. Streets along the earlier miles of the route will open earlier than roads along the end of the route. For more detailed road closure information, please visit http://runrocknroll.competitor.com/raleigh/road-closures
The following streets will be OPEN on race day:
· Capital Blvd to W. Hargett Street
· Northbound Wilmington St from MLK Blvd to Morgan St
· Eastbound Martin Luther King Blvd
· Eastbound Clark/Peace Ave from Horne St to N. Blount St
· Hillsborough St from Woodburn Rd to S. Harrington St
· Westbound Western Blvd
· Eastbound Western Blvd between Hunt Dr and MLK Blvd
· Southbound Avent Ferry Rd from Western Blvd to Tryon Rd
· Southbound Centennial Parkway from Avent Ferry Rd to Lake Wheeler Rd
· Southbound Trailwood Dr from Avent Ferry Rd to Main Campus Dr
· Main Campus Dr from Trailwood Dr to Achievement Dr
· Northbound S. Saunders from Lake Wheeler Rd to South St