Zombies will haunt Thomas Wolfe 8k runners on Saturday

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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From reporter Karen Chavez at the Asheville Citizen-Times:

ASHEVILLE — Race directors are hoping for a little help from the undead to breathe more life into the 36th Thomas Wolfe 8K on Saturday.

Widely believed to be the oldest footrace in Asheville, the nearly five-mile race was started by Asheville Track Club members back in the 1970s as a fundraiser for the Thomas Wolfe Memorial, to be held during the month of the iconic author’s birthday (Oct. 3, 1900) and as a fun gathering for the running community.

But the race registration numbers — like so many races in the mountains — have seemed to ebb and flow with the economy and the many other competing races.

So this year, the track club is pulling out the big guns — zombies.

“The race goes through Riverside Cemetery and past Thomas Wolfe’s grave,” said race director Kelly Allen. “When the runners go through, they’re going to be surprised by zombies.”