FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Anne Bitong
Marketing Director
(330) 375-2786 x3
ROAD RUNNER AKRON MARATHON REGISTRATION
NUMBERS UP 83 PERCENT TO DATE
AKRON, Ohio (July 19, 2007) – The Road Runner Akron Marathon, which
recently announced its deal with Brooks Sports to provide a free pair of
shoes to all runners who finish the marathon as well as the addition of a
half marathon on Sept. 29, 2007, announced a significant increase in
registration over the same period in 2006 for its events.
The Road Runner Akron Marathon drew nearly 6,000 total participants in 2006
in the marathon, 2-person relay and 5-person relay events, the highest
number in its four-year history. With the addition of the half marathon in
2007, the numbers continue to grow. As of July 15, 2007, the marathon held
a 28 percent increase in number of registered participants over the same
time in 2006. The 5-person relay had a 37 percent increase. The new half
marathon has 311 registrants as of the same date. Overall participation in
the Road Runner Akron Marathon is currently up 83 percent, with 1,002
registered participants in 2007 compared to 547 on July 15, 2006.
"People have been very excited about the Brooks shoes," said Jim Barnett,
executive race director. "As the first to offer it, we're in our second
year of giving free shoes to marathon finishers, and the word is really
getting out about Akron around the country."
Barnett says the half marathon has proven to be another selling point of
the race during its 5th anniversary promotions. According to the Road
Running Information Center, the most impressive growth in recent years has
come from half marathon events, with a seven to eight percent increase in
registrants nationally each year for the last three years.
Registration deadlines for this year's race are midnight Wednesday, Sept.
26 online, and between 11 a.m. and 9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28 at the official
marathon Expo, held at the John S. Knight Center. Discount registrations
are available online and by mail if postmarked before Sept. 15.
The Road Runner Akron Marathon is organized by the Akron Marathon
Charitable Corporation, a nonprofit group that is dedicated to promoting
health and fitness. Additional information on the Road Runner Akron
Marathon, Half Marathon and Team Relays is available at
www.akronmarathon.org or by calling (330) 375-2786 (2RUN).
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