On Dec. 5, 22,000 people are expected to participate in the 41st MetroPCS Dallas White Rock Marathon — that’s The Rock to most of us. Both runners and spectators need to know about the changes to the marathon and half-marathon routes, which, three weeks from the race, still have not been finalized. This has some runners I know a little nervous, because runners obsess over every detail. What I find intriguing about this whole ordeal is the time and effort it takes to plan something like this. The race director, Lake Highlands resident Marcus Grunewald recently posted a blog entry explaining why he changed the old route and what needs to be done in order to accommodate more runners, make the course appealing to runners and less of a burden to the city. He writes:
There are several different agencies that approve the course, some of them city departments and some outside third parties. With approximately 1.3 million people, the city has to consider the rights of all citizens and the impact a race as large and long as the marathon has on its citizens. Likewise, the organizers take into consideration not only what is best for the runners, but also the impact on residents and businesses along the route. Decisions made on this basis are not made overnight. It’s not as simple as opening a map, drawing a line 26.2 miles long on it, and declaring it the official course. We take into consideration the conditions along the course that come into play during a road race—the type and condition of the road surface, width of the road, level or curved, high curbs or no curbs, surrounding land uses, traffic patterns, aesthetics, and the list goes on …
The New York City Marathon, by comparison, has 45,000 runners (about 200,000 apply to get in). The event brings a great deal of tourism and business to their city. (Like here, people either love it or avoid it like the plague, but I think more embrace it.) Grunewald might not grow White Rock that much, but if he wants to make it a bigger event that brings in more money for its beneficiary, Texas Scottish Rite Hospital, it takes a tremendous amount of work, consideration and organizing year by year.
Those of you who hate road races and all of their accompanying inconveniences—I haven’t forgotten you—will also want to stay abreast of the course changes, which will be posted here within days, according to organizers, so you can avoid it.