An old tradition is giving way to a new one this year as preparations continue for the Deseret News/Granite Furniture Marathon and 10K races on July 24th.
The course for both races has been changed this year due to construction on Main Street in downtown Salt Lake City. Though the changes will obviously not affect the distances of the races at all, they will change the routes (see the chart accompanying this story).When the marathon begins at 5 a.m. a week from Thursday at Washington Park, runners will follow the traditional route into the Salt Lake Valley as they always have. The changes begin on Foothill Boulevard, right past the starting line for the 10K races which begin at 6:15 a.m. on Wakara Way near the University Park Hotel. The route for both races will swing off Foothill and onto Wasatch Drive, head south to North Campus Drive, then swing to 100 South. Runners will turn north on Wolcott Street, swing west on South Temple, then turn south on 900 East for one block. At 100 South, runners will turn west to 200 East, head south to 900 South, then finish at Liberty Park.
"The new course is basically flat with a few challenging uphill and downhill areas," said Scott Kerr, race director, from his office at Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation, which is coordinating the event for the second straight year. "Obviously the construction on Main Street has also changed the route for the Days of `47 Parade, and we'll finish our races on the same route as the parade, along 200 East and 900 South to Liberty Park."
With just two weeks to go before raceday, registrations in both the marathon and 10K have been brisk - nearly double of that at the same time a year ago. With the help of Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation, the word has gotten out about the success and "popularity" of last year's races.
"We received more positive feedback after last year's races than we have in many years," said Kerr, whose department conducted a survey of participants a year ago. "I think the efforts which everyone have made in the past few years has made these races even more attractive to runners from throughout the country."
As an added incentive for this year's race, Steve Handy, executive race director and marketing director for the Deseret News, has announced that a $500 cash bonus is being offered for the runner who sets a new course record in either the mens' or womens' marathon or 10K, and $250 for any new record set in either wheelchair division races.
"We think this new course will prove highly popular with runners," he said, "and these cash bonuses could make the races even more competitive and interesting."
Registration continues at all Granite Furniture locations, at the Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation Department and at the Deseret News. You can also register online at http://www.desnews.com/races/mara1.htm.