Runners set to make their mark
Thousands expected over the weekend for marathon’s 25th anniversary
Close to 5,000 runners will take to downtown streets Saturday and Sunday during the 25th Edmonton Marathon weekend.
Multiple distance running events, including a one-kilometre kids fun run on Saturday, are mapped out on city streets throughout the weekend, culminating in the full marathon starting at 7 a.m. Sunday.
A half-marathon, 10-kilometre race, and five-kilometre walk/run will take place Sunday.
The first running of the marathon 25 years ago — then called the Alberta Capital City Marathon — was on a different course and saw widely different weather than what is expected on Sunday.
It snowed in Edmonton early on race day in 1992 but quickly warmed up. Runners were pulling off sweaters along the course.
Edmonton native Stefan Fekner, 40, was the winner of the 1992 marathon with a personal best time of 2:28:16.
“I had just a great day, felt like I could have gone much further,” Fekner said, noting he will not be running this year due to prior dragon boat racing commitments.
Fekner said, in 1992, fewer than 400 runners gathered underneath the “dark and dingy” east bleachers of Clarke Stadium before the start of the race.
Now, race headquarters is stationed at the Shaw Conference Centre and Fekner said the race has “come a long, long way.”
A route change in 2014 moved the race along the north side of the river valley with two “out and back” loops.
Fekner said the opportunity to run on a world-class course along the river valley provides great running conditions and attracts people to this Boston Marathon-qualifying race.
He also said participants from outside Alberta, about 10 per cent, will have a chance to take in other events happening in Edmonton during the summer.
To mark the anniversary celebration of the race, Mayor Don Iveson declared Aug. 14 to 20 Servus Edmonton Marathon Week in Edmonton.
Nicole Poirier, city director of civic events and festivals, announced the proclamation at the kickoff media conference Thursday morning.
The event brings thousands of people to downtown, Poirier said, with about 10,000 spectators expected to line the course, including several “viewing hot spots” along the way.
“We want the participants to run like no one’s watching and the spectators to cheer like everyone is,” Poirier said.
The road race will bring road closures to the downtown core and Edmontonians need to plan ahead, Poirier said.
All of the race routes start and end at the Shaw Conference Centre at 97 Street and Jasper Avenue. There will be a full road closure of Jasper Avenue all day Saturday between 97 Street and 99 Street.
On marathon Sunday, there will be a full closure of Jasper Avenue from 97 Street to 109 Street from 5 a.m. until 8 a.m. Partial road closures will impact 111 Street, 124 Street, 142 Street, 102 Avenue and 103 Avenue, and the city warns to expect major traffic delays from 5 a.m. until 3 p.m. Sunday.
The neighbourhoods of Crestwood, Laurier Heights and Valleyview will be affected.
The road closures will also impact transit routes. Detours will be in effect for several routes all day Saturday and Sunday.
Full details of road closures and suggested alternative routes are available at edmonton.ca under attractions and events.