Runners head out on to the course at the beginning of last year’s Mill Race Marathon.
The Republic file photo
The way things are trending, this year’s Mill Race Marathon could be the biggest since before the COVID pandemic.
Numbers have been increasing each year since the in-person marathon, half marathon and 5K races were canceled in 2020 and the full marathon was canceled in 2021.
“If I had a crystal ball, I would love to know why,” planning committee director Laura Dudukovich said. “Maybe people are more comfortable and getting back out. Plus, we’re 12 years in now, so maybe people are getting accustomed to it.”
The inaugural Mill Race Marathon in 2013 saw the highest numbers for the full marathon (650) and half marathon (2,544). Those numbers dropped off in the following years until beginning to bounce back post-pandemic.
Last year’s event saw 261 run the full marathon, 1,727 do the half marathon and 1,639 run or walk the 5K. As of Wednesday, 157 were registered for the Sept. 28 full marathon, 779 for the half marathon and 350 for the 5K.
Last year, 53 percent of the eventual full marathoners had registered by June 26, compared with only 38 percent of half marathoners and 13 percent of 5K participants.
Total registrants increased by 176 from June 26 through Wednesday. Much of that can be attributed to the price increase on July 1.
“(Finance director) Doug (Evans) said it’s not the increase we have seen in years’ past, but I’m thrilled with 176 over that two-week period,” Dudukovich said. “At the city meeting in May, we were talking with all the planning people from the city, and we had been tracking at that point increasing 43 or 44 a week. Last year in June, that number trailed off almost by half. So we’re thrilled with the increases each week.”
Dudukovich said the Mill Race committee, which also includes race director Randy Stafford and race coordinator Joel Sauer, started two years ago having a booth once a month at the Farmers Market. They will have a booth again today at the Farmers Market and Beerfest.
“The Beerfest was huge for us,” Dudukovich said. “At Beerfest and Farmers Market, we got a huge number. It was amazing.”
The only change to the courses this year will be early in the marathon and half marathon. Runners will get on the People Trail at First and Lafayette Streets instead of going around the Taylor construction and accessing the trail at Second and Sycamore.
“Registration still looks good,” Stafford said. “We have the courses settled.”
The marathon course is the same as the half marathon course for the first half of the marathon. Beginning last year, much of the second half of the marathon took place on the People Trail and winds through Noblitt and Mill Race Parks.
“We got good feedback last year on the course changes,” Dudukovich said. “They liked the shade on the People Trail, but said it got a little quiet. The committee is working on maybe having bands spread out and people out there to help encourage and cheer them on.”
