The Thunder Road Marathon is an annual marathon which takes place in Charlotte, North Carolina, every November. It features a NASCAR theme in keeping with the region's close ties to auto racing.
The event was started in 2005 after the demise of the Charlotte Observer Marathon. The race course, a loop which begins and ends in Uptown Charlotte, is certified and is a Boston Marathon qualifier.
In 2010 due to the increasing popularity of marathoning events nationwide, it was announced that entries would be capped at 3500.
| Year | Entrants | Finishers (male) | Finishers (female) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 689 | 490 | 199 |
| 2006 | 895 | n/a | n/a |
| 2007 | 1018 | 655 | 310 |
| 2008 | 1143 | 582 | 258 |
| 2009 | 1885 | 975 | 434 |
| 2010 | 1292 | 844 | 448 |
Famous quotes containing the words thunder, road and/or marathon:
“Of late, eternal Condor years
So shake the very Heaven on high
With tumult as they thunder by,
I have no time for idle cares
Through gazing on the unquiet sky.”
—Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849)
“But, where the road runs near the stream,
Oft through the trees they catch a glance
Of passing troops in the sun’s beam—
Pennon, and plume, and flashing lance!
Forth to the world those soldiers fare,
To life, to cities, and to war!”
—Matthew Arnold (1822–1888)
“The mountains look on Marathon—
And Marathon looks on the sea;
And musing there an hour alone,
I dreamed that Greece might still be free;
For standing on the Persians’ grave,
I could not deem myself a slave.”
—George Gordon Noel Byron (1788–1824)