US Road Sports and Entertainment Group, a Dallas-based company which produces endurance sports events, will launch their national 13.1 Marathon series this Sunday in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. The races, scheduled for Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Atlanta and Chicago, are all half-marathons organized under the slogan, "13.1 isn't half of anything!"
"We are extremely excited about this new event and we are looking forward to a great race weekend," said race director Ted Metellus in an e-mail message. Metellus explained that one of the goals of the series was to celebrate the half-marathon distance, a formidible challenge in its own right.
"As the number of half marathoners has grown in recent years, US Road Sports launched this new series to commemorate the heart, passion and focus of those committed to completing the distance," Metellus added.
About 2000 athletes are expected for the inaugural edition of the Ft. Lauderdale race which will feature DJ's, bands, drum lines and other entertainment along the course. Finishers will be treated to a pancake breakfast at the finish line, accompanied by live music.
In the four days following the race, there will be what organizers call a "registration blitz" to sign up athletes for the other races in the series. Entry fees are as low as $31 for the inaugural Miami event, scheduled for March 1. The series website is located at http://www.131marathon.com.
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