Runners leave the starting line during the Mill Race Marathon in Columbus, Ind., September 24, 2022.
The Republic file photo
It’s less than two months before the annual Mill Race Marathon on Sept. 23, and it’s not too late to sign up for the marathon, half marathon and the 5K races.
Through Aug. 31, registration will be $85 for the full marathon, $70 for the half marathon and $30 for the 5K. From Sept. 1 until Sept. 21, it will be $100 for the full marathon, $85 for the half marathon and $35 for the 5K. On Sept. 22, it will be $115 for the full marathon, $100 for the half marathon and $35 for the 5K. There will be no race-day registration.
There will be a discount for any student (high school or younger) that wishes to register for the 5K. The entry fee will be $10 through Aug. 31 and $15 Sept. 1 or later.
Runners can register at millracemarathon.com/register.
The full marathon race returned last year after not running in 2020 due the COVID-19 outbreak and again in 2021 after concerns with having enough volunteers. The inaugural Mill Race Marathon was in 2013.
Mill Race Marathon race director Randy Stafford said the pre-race registrants are nearly what was seen in 2018 and 2019, the two years before the COVID pandemic.
“We’re tracking to be back definitely better than COVID (years) and back to where they were pre-COVID,” Stafford said.
There are a couple small changes to the full and half marathon courses. Instead of running down Chestnut Street at about the 7 1/2-mile mark, runners will run further west on 16th Street, then turn south on Lafayette Avenue all the way to Central Middle School, then turn west on Fifth Street and back north on Franklin Street until returning to 16th Street.
Stafford noted that could help prevent “congestion” during that portion of the race.
The full and half marathon courses will be identical for the first 12 miles, but then they will split. While the half marathon will run the final mile down Washington Street, the full marathon runners will turn west into Noblitt Park and take the connecting trail through Mill Race Park, then make a loop back with runners returning to Noblitt Park and back out onto Washington Street.
Marathon runners will then head south on Washington Street until turning east on Seventh Street for one block until turning south on Franklin Street. Runners will then turn east on First Street until heading north on Lafayette Avenue and turning east on Second Street, until connecting with the Columbus People Trail near Sycamore Street.
Stafford said the original plan was to get on the Columbus People Trail at Lafayette and First Street, but that section of the trail won’t be open in time for the marathon.
Runners then will follow the People Trail through the city until reaching the northeast portion of the city and make a loop near the intersection of Marr Road and Rocky Ford Road, then run the route back to Seventh Street and turn south on Washington Street to the finish line.
“This gets the course through the parks and another eight to nine miles along the People Trail along the creek,” Stafford said. “There’s also a lot of shaded sections along there, as well. We think that’s a nice addition for the second part of the course.”
