FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Birmingham Urged to Use Caution, Exercise Patience During 2009
Mercedes Marathon Weekend
BIRMINGHAM, AL -- More than 10,000 people are expected to participate in
the 2009 Mercedes Marathon Weekend, from Saturday, February 14th through
Sunday, February 15th in downtown Birmingham. With the large number of
people in downtown Birmingham, race organizers are asking for everyone's
cooperation.
"As one of the largest events in the city, the Mercedes Marathon weekend
affects multiple streets on both Saturday and Sunday," said Race Director
Valerie McLean. "The Birmingham Police Department and other groups will
assist us in providing runners with a safe venue to compete by directing
traffic at intersections along the route. But we also ask everyone to use
caution, exercise patience and be safe as you travel downtown during the
weekend."
Complete course maps are available on the Mercedes Marathon website --
www.mercedesmarathon.com. The new course – with fewer hills – makes the
Mercedes Marathon a qualifier for the Boston Marathon, set for April 2009.
The course change also provides cost savings, which is necessary in today's
economic climate.
This year, spectators can consider a few new locations as venues to watch
their loved ones: The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, McWane Center,
B&A Warehouse and a series of parks on Birmingham's Southside (Caldwell
Park, Rushton Park, Avondale Park, Marconi Park) and at 5 Points South. An
Official Spectator's Guide will be posted in the coming days on the
Mercedes Marathon website, with details about local restaurants along the
course that will be open during the event.
On Saturday, the BE5K kicks off at 8 a.m. and the Kid's Marathon will
follow from 10–11:15 a.m. The bulk of the activities related to these
runs will be around Linn Park and traveling North on 20th Street. More
than 3,000 children have registered for the Kid's Marathon.
On Sunday, the new course consists of a downtown loop approximately two and
a half miles circling through portions of the Birmingham business district.
The Marathon begins at 7 a.m. and ends at 1 p.m. The race starts and
finishes in the traditional location -- right in front of Boutwell
Auditorium located at 1930 8th Avenue North.
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