Marine group moving half-marathon to city

BY REBECCA BLATT

The Marine Corps Marathon and the City of Fredericksburg are joining forces to bring a half-marathon to town next spring.

The race, called the Marine Corps Historic Half-Marathon, is moving from Quantico Marine Corps Base to the city. It will take place May 18 and include a 13.1-mile loop through Central Park and downtown Fredericksburg.

Mayor Thomas Tomzak, a proponent of the event, called the race a "natural fit" for the city.

"It's going to highlight the area, highlight the city, highlight our relationship with the Marine Corps, which we're very proud to be associated with, and highlight health," Tomzak said.

The mayor added, "I just wish my knee wasn't acting up so I could participate, but the rest of the City Council will be ready to go."

Kevin Gullette, Fredericksburg's Director of Economic Development and Tourism, said that he looks forward to working with the Marine Corps Marathon team.

"This is what this office is all about," he said. "We are very excited about this relationship, and we hope that this will be a long and fruitful one."

Gullette vowed to be in shape enough to at least start the event if not finish it.

The Fredericksburg City Council heard a presentation about the event at its meeting last night.

The race, up until now called the Quantico Half-Marathon, was previously hosted by a division at the base that oversees programs aimed at Marines and their families. It is being moved to Fredericksburg in an effort to accommodate a wider range of runners.

In an interview yesterday afternoon, Marine Corps Marathon race director and retired Marine Rick Nealis said he expects the event to draw 5,000 participants this year and more in years to come.

"The ultimate goal is that it doesn't become a regional or state event, but that it eventually becomes nation-wide or international," Nealis said.

He explained that a meeting at the Fredericksburg Expo & Conference Center last summer sparked the idea to work with the city.

"The first thing I saw was a real positive welcome, a what-can-we-do-to-make-this-happen? And that stayed with me," he said. "I thought, 'If I had to put on a brand new event, this is the kind of community I would want to do it in.'"

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WHY HERE? The Marine Corps Marathon has historically hosted just one event each year, its October marathon, which is the fourth largest in the country.

This year, it has taken over a series of races, including the Quantico Half-Marathon, previously hosted by a division that oversees programs aimed at Marines and their families. Shifting the races to the Marine Corps Marathon office and relocating the half-marathon to Fredericksburg will help accommodate a wider range of runners.

WHY MAY 18? Hosting the event about six months before the October Marine Corps Marathon will allow runners, volunteers and Marine Corps Marathon staff members to prepare for the longer event. The date also coincides with Armed Forces Weekend. HOW WILL CITY HANDLE TRAFFIC? Fredericksburg police Capt. Rick Pennock said that he anticipates minimal delays. The race will begin at 7 a.m., and the entire course will reopen no more than four hours later. Police would oversee main intersections, while race officials and volunteers will staff the rest of the course. Race officials took churches into consideration when planning the route and do not anticipate problems for churchgoers. WHAT WILL IT MEAN LOCALLY? Fredericksburg tourism officials said they hope the event will bring business to local hotels, restaurants, shops and historic sites.

Area runners said they believe the event will draw attention to the Fredericksburg running community.

Another intended consequence: publicity for healthy living.

Read more stories about Fredericksburg
Date published: 6/13/2007

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