10/16/13 — Runners to be on the road Friday night

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Runners to be on the road Friday night

By Staff Reports
Published in News on October 16, 2013 1:46 PM

A few adventurous runners will be heading through northern Duplin County this Friday night during the Tuna Run 200.

A 200-mile endurance foot race, the Tuna Run 200 features multiple member teams running from Raleigh to Morehead City. More specifically, the race will start at Lake Benson Park in Garner, then head south of Goldsboro, hitting Union Wesley Church, Snow Hill Original Free Will Baptist Church and then B.F. Grady Elementary School before reaching Emerald Isle. After hitting the beach, the runners will make their way to Atlantic Beach for a fun-filled evening after a long day of racing.

Racers take turns running individual legs of the course while each team's support vehicle changes out runners at certain points along the course. The number of runners can range from four to 12.

Last year, more than 50 teams took the challenge and the top team, called Team Roadkill, set the course record of 25 hours and 53 minutes, or equal to an average pace of about eight miles per hour. The slowest team last year finished in 33 hours and 41 minutes.

During the run, the youth of Snow Hill Church will hold a bonfire and will act as support for the teams coming through northern Duplin County. They expect the runners to make it through Mount Olive after 7 p.m. until 2 a.m. on Friday night.