Folsom Blues Half Marathon

On race day a beautiful, clear and cool fall morning dawned on the more than 1500 6th Annual Folsom Blues Breakout entrants for their Half Marathon, Relay, 5K, and Kids 1K Breakaway challenges. The event celebrates the legacy of Johnny Cash and his famed relationship with Folsom Prison by providing the participants and volunteers unique Johnny Cash-themed technical t-shirts, rockabilly music from the start in the shadow of Folsom Prison to the finish in Historic Folsom, colorful and practical finisher medallions (they double as bottle-openers), and a Johnny Cash tribute band at the Finish Festival in Folsom Station Plaza.

This year the Half Marathon course was once again diverted from making a full loop around Lake Natoma, due to the ongoing efforts to clear the 2017 rockslide that blocks the trail on the North side of the lake. The course used an out and back from Historic Folsom on the South side of the lake with a lollipop loop around the Nimbus State Recreation Area. The 5K route remained the same, taking runners across the iconic Rainbow Bridge on its “Fastest Course in the West”, point-to-point, downhill course from the start on the Folsom Crossing Bridge. 

New this year was the location of the Finish Line and Finish Festival. They moved from Leidesdorrf Street to Folsom Station Plaza, between Leidesdorrf and Sutter Streets. Finishers and spectators alike enjoyed the additional space for the post race goodies, Expo, Beer Garden and Johnny Cash Tribute Band.

Congratulations to all the finishers with a special shoutout to the top three event finishers listed below.

Winners

Half Marathon - Overall & First Male: Brad Poore (Auburn, CA) 1:13:17; First Woman: Katie Layman (Folsom, CA), 1:24:46.

Relay - First Coed Team & Overall Winning Team: Racing Giraffes (Gold River, CA): 1:41:30; First Female Team: Team Gatoraders (Granite Bay) 1:51:30; First Male Team: Team Moeller (Granite Bay) 1:55:29.

5K - Overall & First Male: Aidan Schrader: 15:33; First Woman: Maria Bocanegra (El Dorado Hills, CA), 18:26.

Volunteers: THANK YOU!

Another shoutout with a huge thank you goes to the volunteers without whom these events would not be possible. We hope you will all return next year.

Beneficiaries

Proceeds from the Folsom Blues Breakout events benefit local youth fitness, such as funding the free Kids 1K Breakaway and assisting with Willow Hill cross country course maintenance.

2018 Slide Show

Enjoy reliving the 2018 Folsom Blues Breakout by viewing the slide show below and checking out the final results. Photo credits include shankphoto.com, Bill Sullivan of the Folsom Telegraph, and several of our Facebook friends!

"Return you Timing Chip" Reminder

If you still have your timing chip, be sure to mail it back in a padded envelope o: FBB, 120 Ponderosa Court, Folsom, CA 95630. There is a $30 charge for unreturned timing chips.

Save the date, October 20, 2019 for the 7th Annual Folsom Blues Breakout!