Richmond Marathon 2014: Route, Course Map, Times, Event Details

It may not have the same name recognition as the Boston Marathon or the New York City Marathon, but the Anthem Richmond Marathon has long been viewed as the hidden gem of the long-distance running circuit.

The Richmond Marathon's official website dubs the race "America's friendliest marathon," and there is undoubtedly a great deal of excitement surrounding the 37th edition of the competition.

Last year's Richmond Marathon was one of the most successful in the race's history, and it was bolstered by the performances of first-time winners Sammy Too and Desta Girma Tadesse. If the continued growth of the Richmond Marathon's profile is any indication, 2014 could be even better.

For those looking forward to Saturday's big race, here is everything you need to know about the Richmond Marathon.

Information courtesy of RichmondMarathon.com.

Where: Richmond, Virginia

When: Saturday, Nov. 15

Time: Marathon begins at 7:50 a.m. ET

Richmond Marathon Route and Course Map

Photo courtesy of RichmondMarathon.com

Richmond Marathon Points of Interest

Cold Temperatures Could Create Issues

Weather conditions are always a major factor when it comes to running, and the Richmond Marathon is no different. Although Richmond isn't exactly a northeastern city, it tends to get quite chilly there in the fall. That will certainly be the case during Saturday's race.

As seen in this tweet courtesy of WRICTV8 in Richmond, runners will have to contend with below-freezing temperatures at the start of the event:

Although the cold weather mixed with high body temperatures could wreak havoc on some runners, Richmond Marathon medical director Doug Cutter offered some advice to those who will be competing, according to Rex Springston of The Richmond Times-Dispatch: "You don't want your clothes to get soaking wet when you run. Then you've got a problem. You are going to get real chilled. ... As long as you dress appropriately and stay hydrated, you should do fine."

The weather will certainly be something worth keeping an eye on, but with organizers doing everything possible to keep runners hydrated and safe, they should be able to overcome any potential problems.

Record-Breaking Entry Numbers

The Richmond Marathon continues to grow on a yearly basis, and it has reached a high-water mark yet again this year in terms of entries.

According to Scott Wise of WTVR6 (h/t SportsBackers.org), the marathon entry record was already broken back on Oct. 7 with more than 6,100 runners signed up for the race.

While there are likely several reasons for the uptick in participation recently, Sports Backers marketing director Scott Schricker attributes it to the fact that Hurricane Sandy caused more runners to sign up for the Richmond Marathon two years ago when the New York City Marathon was canceled, per Wise: "We got a bump two years ago when Hurricane Sandy postponed the New York City Marathon. More than 900 marathoners flocked into Richmond that year and we delivered a great experience. ... That really has helped us get the record. Marathoners choose their races by word of mouth."

With more marathon participants this year than ever before, the Richmond Marathon has a golden opportunity to continue impressing runners from across the nation and the world.

If it is able to live up to its moniker of America's friendliest marathon once again, then the sky is the limit.

Road Closures

While marathons can be great for cities that hold them in terms of tourism and commerce, they also tend to create some challenges that must be dealt with.

Among them is interrupted and rerouting the normal flow of traffic. As seen in this graphic, several roads will be closed during Saturday's Richmond Marathon, according to RVA News:

That could be a nuisance to some for much of the day, but things will return to normalcy at 3 p.m. ET, which is when the marathon course will be closed and road access will be restored, per RichmondMarathon.com.

The Richmond Marathon will create some temporary inconveniences Saturday, but the positives will far outweigh the negatives when it is all said and done.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.