For anyone looking to burn some Thanksgiving calories or run off some holiday stress, the Seattle Marathon is a fun option. A relatively close destination run for those of us in the Portland area, the Seattle Marathon also offers a Half Marathon for anyone not quite ready for a full 26.2. Both runs are scheduled for Sunday, November 30th. Online registration runs through November 17th, but runners will have one last chance to sign up at the Seattle Marathon Expo. Expo will be held at the Westin Seattle (1900 Fifth Avenue, Seattle) on November 28th (11AM-8PM) and November 29th (11AM-7PM). The Marathon is $130 and Half Marathon is $100.
A gorgeous and unique course, the Seattle Marathon includes a little bit of everything, some rolling hills, long flat stretches and views of downtown Seattle, Lake Washington and Seward Park. The run starts on 5th and Harrison, near the Seattle Center and includes several highlights for me, including running through the Mt. Baker tunnel, across a floating bridge and finishing back at the Seattle Center. One of my favorite parts of this run is seeing the Space Needle as you’re running. It’s fun having the ‘finish line’ in view for longer than the last quarter mile.
Seattle Marathon runners on the floating bridge
Runners will be tracked with timing points along the course and there will be aid stations approximately every two miles with water and Gatorade Endurance Formula. Seattle Marathon is a Boston Qualifying course. Runners have a 6 hour cutoff and walkers have 7 hours. Anyone on the I-90 floating bridge after 11AM will be bussed to the end of the bridge and allowed to continue running.
Marathon Walk 7:15AM
Half Marathon Run 7:30AM
Half Marathon Walk 7:45AM
Marathon Run 8:15AM
The victory recovery area will include soup, refreshments and showers for participants. All finishers will also receive a long sleeve technical shirt, medal, certificate of completion and a goody bag. This event isn’t for the weak of heart. The weather will most likely be soggy and cold, the course has some decent rollers and it’s a marathon, after all. All the more reasons to give this run a try, the harder the run, the greater the appreciation for the medal.
42 years old, the Seattle Marathon has a fun expo, a well marked course and plenty of fun at the finish line. Grab family or friends for a road trip and make a destination run out of it. Do some sightseeing, go to the aquarium, hit Pike Place Market, get some holiday shopping done and then top the weekend off with the Seattle Marathon or Half Marathon on November 30th.
