Salem gearing up for annual half marathon to return Saturday

SALEM, Va. (WDBJ) - Race organizers in Salem are getting ready for the seventh annual half marathon this weekend.

Drivers and residents should expect road closures Saturday for the race course.

West Main Street will be closed from 5 a.m. until 1 p.m. Any traffic traveling south on Thompson Memorial will be rerouted east onto East Main Street from 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. A full list of traffic impacts can be found here.

This year, drivers can use the “Waze” GPS app to find alternate routes around town. Runners will be racing through downtown Salem, Roanoke College’s campus and parts of the Greenway.

The race director explained the half marathon benefits Salem and the food pantry.

”One of the things that we are doing this year is asking runners to bring their old, used sneakers and the food pantry collects those, turns them in and gets money for them,” Molly Bullington said.

You can still sign up for the half marathon happening this Saturday. Community members are encouraged to line the streets to cheer the racers on.

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