Tobacco Road Marathon runners to raise over $1M for charity

CARY, N.C. (WTVD) -- It's almost time for runners to put their training to the test and race in a very special Tobacco Road Marathon in Cary on March 17. The Tobacco Road Marathon is expected to meet a major milestone--$1 million in charitable giving.

This will be Kelvin Brodie's 10th Tobacco Road Marathon, but he admits he still gets nervous.

"You get out there around mile 18 and 19 and you're thinking maybe this wasn't such a good idea, then you have to reflect on the reason you're out there in the first place," Brodie said.

But Brodie adds there's nothing like the feeling of finishing the race.

"It's one of those things when every little step you take goes towards your efforts," he said.

Erika Richard will be running her fourth half marathon this Sunday. She keeps coming back for the camaraderie and likes making a contribution to the community.

"It's like hard and you're pushing through it, but at the same time every step is like an accomplishment," Richard said. "You know you're helping the community with the donations...the money they raise."

2019 is a special year for the Tobacco Road Marathon. The annual event is crossing the million dollar mark in donations for charities such as the American Red Cross and the Triangle Rails to Trails Conservancy, a non-profit organization working to create and preserve trails that were once railroad corridors like the American Tobacco Trail. Runners love it because it's flat.

"The course itself, the majority of it is on the trail and the trail is just awesome for your legs," said Tobacco Road Marathon runner Esther Dill.