For immediate release contact: JEN BURFORD
Carey O'Donnell PR Group
(561) 832-3231
INAUGURAL MARATHON OF THE PALM BEACHES ANNOUNCES FINAL RACE COURSE
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (June 30, 2004) ¾ The race course for the inaugural
Marathon of the Palm Beaches has received final approval and permits from
the Florida Department of Transportation and official certification from
USA Track and Field (USATF). The 26.2-mile full marathon and the 13.1-mile
half marathon will take runners through the cities of West Palm Beach, Lake
Worth and Riviera Beach. Approximately 50 percent of the course will
feature spectacular waterfront vistas, winding along the serpentine route
of the Intracoastal Waterway and passing through several historic
neighborhoods in West Palm Beach. The figure-eight shaped route begins and
ends adjacent to the waterfront Meyer Amphitheater in Downtown West Palm
Beach.
Both the 26.2-mile and 13.1-mile races will begin heading south along the
waterfront on Flagler Drive, turning onto South Olive Avenue and Federal
Highway into the City of Lake Worth. The course then loops back to South
Olive Avenue and heads north. Runners will pass through the El Cid
neighborhood of West Palm Beach, listed on the National Register of
Historic Places, and then the half-marathon participants will return to the
Meyer Amphitheater. The full marathon course will continue north along the
Intracoastal Waterway towards its turnaround at the north end of the
Skypass Bridge in Riviera Beach, overlooking the Port of Palm Beach and
Peanut Island. On the return to the Meyer Amphitheater, runners will pass
through the historic Old Northwood community, the famous Clematis Street
commercial district, the picturesque Grandview Heights and Flamingo Park
neighborhoods and through the nationally acclaimed mixed-use
retail-entertainment complex, CityPlace.
"We went to great lengths to map out what we feel is going to be one of the
premier courses on the national marathon circuit," said Dennis Grady,
president of the Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches. "With the
guidance of our race director, Dave McGillivray, and our operations
director, Ron Kramer, we've assembled a route that will highlight some of
the best the Palm Beaches has to offer while allowing the flexibility for
the race to grow in size over time. Runners will experience our beautiful
Intracoastal waterfront, charming historic neighborhoods and our dynamic
city center. We owe tremendous thanks to the cities of West Palm Beach,
Riviera Beach and Lake Worth, which have made this outstanding route
possible through their cooperation."
The design and creation of the marathon race course was a fete of
engineering in its own right, requiring strict consideration of a number of
factors such as terrain, road closures, the impact to the local community,
traffic flow considerations, cooperation of police, fire and rescue
personnel, impact to the local businesses, bridge and railroad crossings,
road construction and variety of views. Once designed, the course was
certified by a USATF qualified member. This designates the race as a
qualifier for events requiring minimum entry times like the Boston
Marathon. The process began with a person riding the course on a bicycle
outfitted with a specially calibrated wheel counter that measures the
distance. All measurements were taken twice to ensure absolute accuracy.
The permitting process required approvals from the cities of West Palm
Beach, Lake Worth and Riviera Beach, plus the Florida Department of
Transportation. Strict guidelines were followed for permission to close
roads, and documentation was required to show that the closures allow for
police, fire and medical vehicles to enter the area if needed. A method of
transportation (MOT) plan was also submitted that details the placement of
all traffic information message boards and road traffic cones lining the
separation lanes for runners and vehicles. Course maps, road closure
times, police and volunteer positions and liability insurance certificate
binders were also required documentation.
The inaugural Marathon of the Palm Beaches, presented by Pontiac-GMC, will
be held on Nov.14, 2004 from 6:00 a.m. to noon. The event takes place over
a three-day weekend packed with race-related activities, including the
Mayor's Celebrity Mile at CityPlace on Sat., Nov. 13 and a two-day sports
and fitness expo on Friday and Sat., Nov. 12 - 13. The event is
co-sponsored by WRMF 97.9 fm, ESPN Radio 760 AM, Marriott West Palm Beach,
The Palm Beach Post, Carey O'Donnell PR Group, the City of West Palm Beach,
the Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County, Jacuzzi Brands, Wachovia
Bank, Margaret Wilesmith Advertising, WPBF Channel 25, Trump Ice, the Palm
Beach Princess, the Port of Palm Beach, the Palm Beach County Convention &
Visitor's Bureau, American Airlines, CityPlace, Palm Beach County
Commissioner Jeff Koons and the Global Housing Bureau.
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