| When the field of marathon and relay runners
step off the starting line Sat., Oct. 2, for the 2nd Annual Road Runner Akron
Marathon, some 2,000 volunteers will be tending to their every need until they reach the
finish line inside Canal Park Stadium. "Our goal
has always been to give the runners a great experience during their run in Akron so that
they’ll want to return the following year," said Jim Barnett, race director of
the Road Runner Akron Marathon & Team Relays.
While thousands of people are expected to line the streets
of Akron to give the runners emotional nourishment for the 26.2 mile race, marathon
volunteers will be taking care of their physical nourishment at the start and finish lines
as well as 18 fluid stations along the course. Each fluid station is sponsored by a local
business, club or organization which provides the volunteers for each of the stations.
Race sponsors Coke and Acme Fresh Markets are gearing up to
provide the physical nourishment which will include some 18,000 Dasani water bottles, more
than 1,600 gallons of Powerade, nearly 140,000 paper cups, and more than a ton of fresh
fruit consisting of 1,200 pounds of bananas, 600 pounds of apples and 450 pounds of
oranges. GU Energy Gel packets will be distributed to runners at the start and at the 6.6,
11.2, 15.4 and 19.2-mile fluid station locations. Volunteers expect to hand out some
10,000 packets just before and during the race.
Knowing that what goes in must eventually come out, the
Road Runner Akron Marathon will have 150 portable restrooms strategically placed along the
course, including about 60 located near the starting line.
In addition to the fluid stations throughout the course,
the marathon also will have 15 medical aid stations to handle anything from pulled muscles
and blisters to more serious health problems that could involve transport to a nearby
hospital. More than 1,100 pounds of ice are expected to be used at the medical aid
stations.
For additional information about the Road Runner Akron
Marathon, or to register for the 2004 event on Saturday, Oct. 2, visit the Road Runner
Akron Marathon website at www.akronmarathon.org,
or call toll-free at (877) 375-2RUN.
Notes to Editors:
The following is a list of fluid station locations and the
sponsors:
- Start of race at 177 South Broadway Street
- St. Thomas Hospital, North Main Street
Sponsor: Summa Health System
- 690 South High Street at 2nd Baptist Church
Sponsor: Bank One
- YMCA at corner of Glenmount & Wilbeth
Sponsor: Bridgestone/Firestone Trust Fund
- Brown and McKinley Streets at American Legion
Sponsor: Buckingham, Doolittle & Burroughs
- Café Momus at 491 Brown Street
Sponsor: Boys and Girls Club
- Crowne Plaza, 135 South Broadway
Sponsor: Crowne Plaza
- Parking lot of Mustill Store
Sponsor: Brouse McDowell
- Memorial Parkway and Towpath
Sponsor: West Side Leader
- Big Bend of Towpath
Sponsor: Summit Athletic Running Club
- Sand Run Parkway and Portage Path
Sponsor: A. Schulman & Camp Christopher
- Sand Run Parkway and Sand Run Road
Sponsor: North Akron Savings Bank
- Revere Road and Market Street
Sponsor: House of Hunan & Myers University
- Wiltshire and Sand Run Roads
Sponsor: The Chapel
- Firestone High School
Sponsor: West Point Market
- Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens
Sponsor: Canal Square YMCA
- Portage Country Club
Sponsor: Chi-Chi’s Restaurant
- Grand Market Plaza, 760 West Market Street
Sponsor: First Merit Bank
- Old Summa Building, 400 West Market Street
Sponsor: Red Cross of Summit County
- Finish at Canal Park Stadium
# # #
Contact:
Tom Koch, Highland Public Relations
(330) 996-4140
tk@HighlandPR.com |
