By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY
Salina Post
A qualifying race for the Boston Marathon is coming to Salina this fall, and with it other options for runners and walkers as well.
Registration is now open for the Salina Crossroads Marathon, half marathon, marathon relay, half marathon relay, and 4.01 K races scheduled for Nov. 5. Click here to register or use the QR code.
"The Boston Marathon is one of the oldest and most prestigious races in the world. When almost all races, including races in large cities, list that they are a Boston Marathon qualifier on their website you know it is a special race. There is so much history with the Boston Marathon and as someone who has ran the Boston Marathon, I can say that there is no other race I have ever ran that had the excitement and energy that the Boston Marathon has. They estimate that over 500,000 spectators watch the Boston Marathon each year so having that many people cheering you on along the course is an experience you never forget," Daniel Craig told Salina Post.
Craig, who serves as Salina Crossroads Marathon co-director with Chris Lehecka, said the Salina event also will have spectator options.
"When we developed the course we worked hard to incorporate activation areas where we will have aid stations (water, Gatorade, snacks), music, and places for people to cheer on the runners. We will have maps of the course showing the places along the course where it will be easiest for people to be at to cheer on the runners," he said. "One advantage of having a two-loop marathon course is that it gives everyone the opportunity to cheer on the runners even more."
Additionally, downtown merchants will be hosting their annual Holiday Open Houses during the marathon weekend.
"Runners and families are encouraged to come early and stay late," Craig said. "There is so much to see and do in Salina Downtown. Food, Shopping, Entertainment, Art and so much more!"
The following five events are scheduled for the day of the marathon.
The full marathon, a 26.2-mile race, is the Boston Marathon qualifier. The athletes in this race will run two loops of the 13.1-mile course.
The full marathon relay, during which teams of six will run the full marathon route.
The half marathon, during which participants will run one loop of the route.
The half marathon relay, during which teams of three will run the half marathon route.
The 4.01K race, a fun run sponsored by BeWealth that provides a fun twist from traditional 5K and 2.5-mile races. The 4.01K race will loop back early and finish back south on Santa Fe, according to information provided by Craig.
The race will start downtown near First Bank Kansas, 235 S. Santa Fe Avenue, and head north through the heart of downtown just past the new mural on the former H.D. Lee Mill elevator on north Santa Fe Avenue. The course will head east and navigate through Salina parks, over the Smoky Hill River, under the E. Crawford Street bridge, on the levee, in and around Indian Rock, and have an inspiring finish from E. Prescott Avenue on S. Santa Fe Avenue all the way back to the finish line, Craig noted.
A map of the route is available on the Salina Crossroads Marathon, Half-Marathon, and 4.01K Group Facebook page.
Registration and a runners reception will be hosted at the Homewood Suites by Hilton, 115 E. Mulberry Street.
The origins of the local marathon
Craig said the idea for the local marathon began when he and Lehecka started talking about what it would be like for Salina to have a high-quality marathon and half marathon races.
"We reached out to the City of Salina to approach them with the idea and they were very supportive. Sgt. Chad McCary and Brent Buchwald helped us develop a fun and scenic course that also minimizes disruptions to traffic and parking in Downtown Salina and JoVonna Rutherford helped us work through the process of getting approval on the Special Event Permit," Craig said.
Once that was accomplished, a race committee that includes individuals from both the non-profit and for-profit sectors, as well as local runners, was created.
"Our goals were to develop a high quality race that could bring in runners from across the United States and we wanted to get enough sponsorships to cover the cost of putting on the race so that 100 percent of the race entry fees could go towards meeting a need in the community, which for this first year has been identified as youth sports," he said.
Becoming a Boston Marathon qualifier
Creating a race that is a qualifier for the Boston Marathon is no easy task. Once the course was approved by the city, it had to go through a certification process.
"Certification is a procedure that guarantees that the marathon course has been properly measured by an experienced measurer. The surveyor uses a bicycle equipped with a revolution counter and does two measurements of the course to ensure that the marathon is at least the full marathon distance (26 miles 385 yards) commonly listed as 26.2 miles," Craig explained. "Once the surveyor creates the course map it gets sent to the Regional Certifier who issues the official certificate. The course is valid for 10 years, as long as nothing changes on the course that would affect the distance."
Local course also USATF certified
Craig said the course also is certified by USA Track & Field.
"USA Track & Field offers a searchable link online which lists all marathons in the United States that are USATF certified," Craig said. "The course must be run exactly as is depicted on the map that the surveyor creates, which includes things such as the exact location for cones on the course. If the organizers of the race make any changes, no matter how minor, the course is not certified. So it is a very detailed process that lets runners know that the race is the correct distance."
A lofty first-year goal
Craig said the committee's goal for the first year is 1,000 total participants.
"We are committed to putting on a great first-year event with a goal of making the Salina Crossroads Marathon the premier marathon in Kansas," he said.