Tour the Half Marathon course (it’s back!)

By 1elcoley

Published: September 25, 2008

Slideshow
SportsBacker’s Scott Schricker: ‘Why Richmond is America’s Friendliest Marathon‘

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Highlights from the 2007 SunTrust Richmond Marathon & nTelos 8k

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The McDonald’s Half Marathon starts at 7:30 a.m. in downtown Richmond at 7th & Broad streets and ends on a downhill slope at Cary and 9th Street in front of the James Center. According to the race organizers, the Richmond Sports Backers, it is expected to draw 5,000 entries and is making its return for the first time since 1997 when it was sponsored by the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

“What we’ve seen over the last 10 years is that the half marathon is by far the fastest growing demographic in the running industry,“ said Scott Schricker, marketing director for the Sports Backers.  “More new people are doing half marathons than just about any other race.“

The half marathon course heads west on Broad Street and turns north at The Boulevard. The course makes a quick loop through the SportsBackers Stadium on the track before getting back on the Boulevard and heading toward the North Side neighborhoods. The stadium loop was needed to complete the 13.1 miles, Schricker said.

“What you’re going to find about the half marathon course is that it follows most of the second half of the marathon course,“ Schricker said. “We do add a segment through Bryan Park that I think participants are really going enjoy, because its just a beautiful park.“

The Joseph Bryan Park loop covers about two miles of the course, running past the historic azalea gardens before heading into the most wooded sections of the park. Runners reconnect with the main marathon course as they cross under the granite arch at Pope Avenue and continue along the rest of the way on the same course as the SunTrust Richmond Marathon.

“We were really excited when the city agreed to let us add the half marathon back on an approved course that tried to minimize the traffic implications in the Richmond area,“ Schricker said.

Learn more about the neighborhoods, attractions and historic sites you’ll see along the way and maybe you’ll have something to help you distract yourself from the long run ahead on the big day.

THE COURSE
• START just east of 7th St. on Broad St. in the eastbound lanes heading west.
• Following Broad, the course crosses over to the westbound median lanes at Belvidere St. still heading west.
• Right onto N. Boulevard.
• Right onto Avenue of Champions
• The course loops around the sports complex and returns to N. Boulevard heading north.
• The Boulevard becomes Hermitage Ave.
• Left on Bellevue Ave.
• The course loops through Bryan Park before returning to Bellevue Ave. heading east.
• Left onto Pope Ave.
• Right onto Crestwood Rd.
• Left onto Fauquier Ave.
• Right into far left lane of northbound Brook Rd. heading south.
• Right onto southbound Lombardy Street.
• Left onto Grace Street
• Right onto 3rd Street
• Left onto Cary St.
• FINISH at the front line of the west crosswalk at 9th and Cary.

More information: http://www.richmondmarathon.com