FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Illinois Marathon Set for Spring 2009!
Champaign-Urbana, IL-CasMar Events, Inc. and a local organizing committee
have announced plans for the inaugural Illinois Marathon to be held in
Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, on April 24-25, 2009.
The weekend's race events will include a full marathon, half-marathon,
4-person marathon relay, 5K fun run/walk, and youth run all on Saturday,
April 25. The races will be preceded by a Health & Fitness Expo, Pasta
Feed, and Special Speaker Series on Friday, April 24. All of the weekend
events will be held at the University of Illinois, and the highlight of the
road races will be a finish at the 50 yard line of the University's
Memorial Stadium football field.
Mark Knutson, President of CasMar Events, Inc. and Executive Director of
the Fargo Marathon (www.fargomarathon.com), has been working to put the
Illinois Marathon together since early 2007. Coordination efforts have
included meetings with officials from the cities of Champaign and Urbana,
the University of Illinois, and the Champaign County Sports Commission. The
current marathon organizing committee consists of a variety of individuals
from the Champaign-Urbana market, including a strong representation from
the local Second Wind Running Club.
"This community is absolutely ideal for a first-class marathon event," said
Knutson as he described Champaign-Urbana. "From the University of Illinois
to the cities' mayors, the process has been very positive. Couple that with
the support of a strong running community, and I am confident that the
Illinois Marathon has the potential to be one of the best new running
events in the country."
Joe DeLuce, President of the Champaign County Sports Commission is excited
about the event's potential. "This is another great opportunity for the
Champaign/Urbana area to become a premier destination for sporting events
in Illinois," said DeLuce.
Title sponsorship negotiations are ongoing with a variety of companies, but
nothing has been agreed to at this point. Local sponsors include the
University of Illinois Athletics Department, Body n' Sole Sports, and
Marathon & Beyond magazine, which is headquartered in Champaign.
"Mark and Cassi Knutson have shown through the growth and success of their
community-focused Fargo Marathon that they know what it takes to execute a
first-rate event," says Jan Colarusso Seeley, publisher and co-owner of
Marathon & Beyond. "We're thrilled that they've selected Champaign-Urbana
as the location for their next marathon venture."
More information about the Illinois Marathon can be found at
www.illinoismarathon.com or by calling CasMar Events at (701) 364-2RUN.
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