by Casey Murphy

The government shutdown is causing national parks to shut down and preventing runners from running and training for races. If this shutdown lasts any longer, races sponsored by federal funds  will be canceled. Runners are very upset with the shutdown, not only because of the closed national parks but because some also lost their jobs.

With the parks being closed, the water fountains and restrooms are closed on the running paths and that is preventing runners getting their full workout in.  A specific race, The Grindstone 100 mile, is scheduled for Friday in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, will be canceled if the shutdown continues through race day.

An affected runner said,  “The shutdown closed one of the favorite weeknight running locations of the Central Illinois Trail Running Alliance, the Army Corps of Engineers’ Farmdale Reservoir in East Peoria, Illinois,” said Andrew McGlocklen.