5,000 set to convene for 35th Duke City event
Solomon Kandie will be on site with the other expected 5,000 or so running enthusiasts Sunday at the 35th Duke City Marathon. But he won’t win.
It’s because he won’t run — at least not the grueling 26.2mile race that he’s won five times already.
Instead, Kandie has pulled himself out of the marathon and will run with the kids in the 5-kilometer race.
The native Kenyan and Albuquerque resident is taking part on a project initiated by Big 5 Sporting Goods, a longtime sponsor of the event and the title sponsor for six years. In coordination with the Boys & Girls Club of Central New Mexico, the beneficiary of event proceeds, Kandie met and trained with 20 kids to get them fit and register for the race. The store chipped in with shirts and shoes and other help to get them ready.
Kandie “is dedicated to the kids, which is pretty cool,” said Burt Trembly, Duke City Marathon board member. “He wanted to do something fun and fresh for a great cause.”
Kandie has offered his brother Paul Rotich to marathon in his place, and Rotich is expected to contend.
Race organizers had not heard from last year’s women’s champion as of late in the week. Roxanne Wegman was stationed at Fort Bliss in El Paso when she surprised the field last year.
So it means the titles are up for the taking, and there are prizes at stake. For starters, the title sponsor provides over $5,000 in gift cards to winners in the assorted divisions. And the Roadrunner Club of America designates a championship race each year, the DCM this time, so whoever wins Sunday will be a state champion as well.
Meanwhile, the marathon event comprises seven races total, allowing something for everybody. There also is the five-person relay marathon — the fastestgrowing race — the half-marathon, 10K run and walk, and 5K run and walk.
Activity begins in earnest today at the Health & Fitness Expo and Packet Pick-Up at the Albuquerque Convention Center. It’s the last day to register for any of the races, which begin and end at Civic Plaza.
Weather will be cool at the 7 a.m. start of Sunday’s marathon, but will warm up nicely with an expected high of 65. In other words, Trembly insists, ideal for marathon running.
“That’s why we choose the third weekend of October,” he said.