THE EMERGING “ECONO-MARATHON”
The Econo-Marathon for Economic Times
Marathon runners are usually very goaloriented and are dedicated to achieving a
26.2 mile finish. Unlike shorter distance
events which are held in many
Joe Sinclair
Daniel Lieb
communities in each state, the full
marathon event is not a race that may be within easy driving
distance and definitely not inexpensive. Large event marathons
are very popular and serve the needs of thousands of distance
runners. They are usually well-organized and have large
numbers of runners traveling hundreds of miles to participate.
Today’s economic challenges are making it difficult for some
dedicated marathon runners to pay the cost for registering,
lodging, and participating in the large events.
There is an emerging alternative to expensive events called the
econo-marathon. It establishes a 26.2 mile finish as the
marathon goal. Several locations have established free
marathon events which are advertised on designated websites.
Runners simply register for the “no frills” event and bring their
own supplies to the starting line. The race director for the
econo-marathon usually selects a runner-friendly race route
such as a public greenway and marks the distance which totals
26.2 miles. Marathon events can be arranged on municipal
greenways which have a safety advantage of allowing no
vehicle traffic, although walkers and bikes have access to the
running route. Ideally, the greenway marathon should have
sufficient parking and restroom facilities near the starting line.
An “out and back” route would permit runners to leave their
water and energy supplies near the start line. Runners would
then have an opportunity to return to that area after each loop
to rehydrate. A 3.75 mile “out and back” loop designed to be
repeated several times, would provide marathoners with a 26.2
mile finish. Other variations can be devised, such as a 5.25 mile
loop to be run five times. These loops would provide adequate
access to both supplies and restrooms during the marathon.
Since most econo-marathon events have no registration cost, it
is the responsibility of the runner to notify the race director
prior to the race if circumstances prevent marathon
participation. The race director volunteers his/her time and
efforts to make the econo-marathon a success.
Econo-marathons must have a limit for runner participation -typically no more than twenty or twenty-five runners for the
purpose of controlling the event in an orderly manner. Runners
are encouraged, but not required to have a GPS watch which
tracks their time and mileage. At the 26.2 mile finish, runners
record their statistics with the race director who then publishes
the final results on the marathon website. The race director
may provide finisher’s certificates or other free forms of
recognition for successfully completing the marathon.
Econo-marathons and big event marathons both have an
important place for distance runners. Each has its advantages.
Most marathoners could take advantage of the availability of
both events and run both types of marathons if the location
and cost is in the best interest of the runner. Whether runners
participate in a large-event marathon or econo-marathon, both
types of races are 26.2 miles in length.
About the Authors . . .
In 2011, Joe Sinclair and Daniel Lieb ran a combined total of one
hundred full marathons in the 12-month period. Joe completed
38 marathons and 6 ultra-marathons while Daniel completed
40 marathons and 16 ultra-marathons. Joe lives in Statesville
and Daniel lives in Charlotte, North Carolina.