Huge crowd expected for Sunday marathon

A crowd of at least 500 runners is expected to take part in this Sunday’s second annual running of Running for the Bay races.

Organizer Mark Henderson said he has seen a bumper crop of runners already registered for the race, including runners from 26 states, the Czech Republic and Puerto Rico.

The race will begin at 7:15 a.m. at Battery Park in Apalachicola, about 15 minutes later than last year’s start so that there will be more sunlight and ”allow things to get a little lighter,” said Henderson. The course then winds through Eastpoint and St. George Island before returning to Battery Park for the finish.

The marathon course is certified by USATF (U.S. A Track and Field), which means runners who post competitive times can use the results to qualify for the Boston Marathon or any other major that requires times to be set on a certified course.

In addition to the 26.2-mile marathon, the race day events also feature a half-marathon, 5k and 10k races, and newly-introduced Ultra 50k, about 31 miles. “You got to be an athlete to do that one, or a little insane,” said Henderson.

Each of the races feature wheelchair divisions and, as Henderson put it “are designed to bring attention to the Apalachicola Bay area, one of the most beautiful and important estuaries in America; create an avenue for charity fund raising and to promote health and fitness.”

Part of the proceeds from last year’s race went to area non-profits, including $500 to the Franklin County Humane Society, and $500 to the Apalachicola Riverkeeper. Also receiving funds were $300 to the Wounded Warrior project and two $100 gifts to churches doing missionary work overseas.

The race weekend will begin with an Expo on Saturday, Oct. 22, from noon to 7:30 p.m. at Battery Park Community Center. Henderson said the event is free and open to the public, and will give runners a chance to meet and become familiar with the race and pick up their bibs and bib numbers.

One of the items Henderson is most proud of is a specially-designed medal that features a view of Apalachicola Bay and which last year was voted among the top five medals in a national competition by Marathon and Beyond magazine. “We beat out the New York and Boston marathons,” said Henderson.

The race organizer also touted the economic benefits of the race, which he estimated would bring in about 1,500 people, three times the field of runners.

“These are new found tourism dollars for the community,” he said, estimating that when overnight room rentals, meals and miscellaneous shopping are factored in, as much as $250,000 new dollars would be brought into the county over the weekend.

“This does not include future dollars spent by any tourist who are introduced to the area and will come back for many years,” he said.

Runners this year hope to beat the times of last year’s inaugural race, won by a 49-year-old postal worker from Mobile, Ala., Victor Birch, who finished one minute short of three hours.

The top female finisher in 2010 was 37-year-old Dr. Jacqueline Sasaki, a dermatologist from Gulfport, Miss, who was shooting to qualify for the Boston Marathon, needing a 3:45 time. She ended up finishing with a 3:15, 15 minutes better than what she had hoped for.

For more information, visit www.runningforthebay.com