IT'S MARATHON TIME ALREADY
Hard to believe it's nearly the second week of April, and the Salt Lake City Marathon is just two weekends away. This event continues to grow in popularity, perhaps because the Utah city has cool running temperatures in early spring, and the circle of craggy, snowy mountains surrounding the city give a great view.
"We're actually up 25 per cent from where we were last year. We're expecting to have 13,000 total participants across all the events," said assistant race director Dustin Stark.
The race is owned by Devine Racing, which organizes similar events in Chicago, Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Entry fees for the marathon are $80 until April 17th, $90 after that. Most of the money made from the event is donated to the Huntsman Cancer Foundation.
There are changes to the 2008 Marathon Weekend, some that are surprising. The traditional night-before pasta dinner and post-race concert has always been held outdoors at the Gallivan Center. But it's been such a cold winter that the carb-loading party has been moved indoors to the Depot, a restaurant in the Gateway Mall. The concert, this year featuring Soul Survivors, will take place at the Palladium Club.
The other change is the new Mayor, Ralph Becker. In the 'damned with faint praise' slot, Stark says, "We've had a lot of discussions as you do with any new politician, but it's not any worse off at all," though he added, "We're happy with Becker. We had some personal ties with Anderson (former Mayor Rocky Anderson) but it's definitely not hurting the event at all."
Stark is a runner himself, and offers important survival tips for racers. He says, "With the course being so downhill, a lot of runners find themselves moving at a very fast pace at the beginning, then overexerting themselves later on trying to maintain that same pace. The best advice I can give is to just be aware of how hard you're pushing yourself."
Stark also warns strongly against drinking only water for hydration during the 26 mile race. "If someone goes with water for the entire route, they will end up running shy of electrolytes, like sodium and potassium. It as toxic as being dehydrated, it's an actual condition called 'hyponatremia.' It can make people collapse. Some runners have died from it," he says, advising racers to consume energy drinks or gels that contain electrolytes.
There will be different entertainments along the course, including at least two drum lines, but the competitors will not be lingering to enjoy them. Before the race starts, there are aditional events, including the bike tour along the course, which begins at 6:00 a.m.; and the 5K, where many people stroll along with baby joggers. Those that don't want to run, walk or ride have another way to be part of the event: volunteer. Volunteers can help sign people up or pass out refreshments or do one of the hundreds of jobs that must be done to make any race work.
"Volunteering is something people think is filled (by now), but we have positions open right up to the last minute," says Stark.
For more information and registration, go to saltlakecitymarathon.com.