LYNCHBURG — The Mach Tenn Running Club, the organizers of the Oak Barrel Half Marathon, recently confirmed their intention to run the race in Lynchburg on Saturday, October 24.

In March, Mach Tenn representative Melissa Miller appeared before the Metro Council to seek permission to block off the square for that new date. (Read our full coverage of that appearance here.) Traditionally, the event is held the first Saturday of April but this year organizers moved the event due to the COVID-19 health situation.

“It’s the old Jack Daniel’s World Invitational Barbecue date,” Miller told the Metro Council in March. “They’ve moved their event up and we decided we liked that date.”

Since then, Jack Daniel’s Distillery cancelled the 2020 World Invitational Barbecue, but plans for the half marathon remain. However this year, they will allow participants not comfortable with running in groups to convert their registration to a virtual run. Runners who complete the 13.1 miles on their own will receive their “swag” at their home address. 

According to Mach Tenn, those who plan to run in Lynchburg do not need to do anything. Those who plan to run remotely, should contact the half marathon to convert their registration. For more information, visit the group’s Facebook page or website. •

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