FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New Courses For The 2011 Wiliams Route 66 Marathon Finalized
Highlights include downtown start, return to Brookside and The University
of Tulsa
Tulsa, Okla. (Sept. 23, 2011) - The Williams Route 66 Marathon, presented
by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma, will feature new courses this
year. The changes were necessary to accommodate the increased participation
in the races and the new two-day format.
"We spent a great deal of time looking at several options to increase the
capacity of our courses to accommodate our rapid growth notonly in 2011 but
into the future," said Chris Lieberman, executive director of Tulsa Route
66 Marathon, Inc. "We were able to design excellent courses that met all of
our objectives."
The changes were implemented as a result of responses received from the
2010 participant surveys and include:
-A downtown start to eliminate the need for pre-race hotel shuttles making
it easier for the participants to get to thestart of the races.
-Greater course capacity to accommodate 20,000 participants by 2013.
-The same route for marathon and half marathon participants until the end
of the half marathon course.
Both the marathon and half marathon courses will make a return to Brookside
7.25 miles in to the race.
The Brookside Entertainment District is a stretch of local restaurants,
retailers, bars and venues located between 32nd and 41st Streets on Peoria
Ave.
"Brookside is very excited about having the Route 66 Marathon back in our
entertainment district," said Janine Morales, president of the Brookside
Business Association. "This is good for Brookside and good for the city of
Tulsa."
The marathon course also features a tour of The University of Tulsa campus,
a private, premier institution originally known as Henry Kendall College
founded in 1894 and moved to Tulsa in 1907. Today, TU has more than 4,000
students and is ranked 75th among national doctoral universities in U. S.
News & World Report's 2012 edition of America's Best Colleges.
"The University of Tulsa has undergone major transformations and
renovations over the past few years - the most recent being the addition of
the Lorton Performance Center - and we're excited to show off our beautiful
campus," said Terry Hossack, associate vice president, The University of
Tulsa. "We appreciate the organizers for including us on the course and
look forward to helping encourage the athletes to the finish line."
Many of the popular course sections from previous years remain, including
Cherry Street, Cascia Hall, Swan Lake, Woodward Park, Riverside Drive and
of course, the Center of the Universe Detour.
"We are proud to once again be part of the Williams Route 66 Marathon and
showcase our unique district to thousands of out-of-town visitors," said
Mary Ellen Slape, owner of the Hunt Club and secretary of the Brady Arts
District Business Association. "We're also proud to be home to the Center
of the Universe Detour, which like many of the unique businesses in the
Brady Arts District, can only be experienced here."
The course will continue to be lined with entertainment and spectators
keeping participants encouraged as they journey toward the finish line.
New course maps are also available for the Williams Route 66 Quarter
Marathon on Saturday, Oct. 15, and the 5K and Fun Run courses happening
Saturday, Nov. 19 during marathon weekend. Visit www.quartermarathon.com
for all the 2011 Williams Route 66 Quarter Marathon course maps and
www.route66marathon.com for all the 2011 Williams Route 66 Marathon course
maps.
About the Williams Route 66 Marathon
The 2011 Williams Route 66 Marathon weekend in Tulsa, Okla., is set for
Saturday, Nov. 19 and Sunday, Nov. 20, 2011. The 2011 Williams Route 66
Quarter Marathon is Saturday, Oct. 15, 2011. Events are held annually the
Sunday before Thanksgiving and third to last Saturday in October,
respectively. The sixth anniversary of the Williams Route 66 Marathon
weekend includes a two-day health and fitness expo, pasta dinner, marathon,
half marathon, five-person marathon relay, 5K run/walk, and a one-mile fun
run/walk. Post-race festivities include concerts and a classic car show.
To learn more about the events, sponsoring, training or volunteering,
please e-mail , call (918) 409-2828, or visit
www.route66marathon.com and www.quartermarathon.com.
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