The State Farm Melbourne & Beaches Music Marathon wasted no time establishing itself as a high-impact, can't-miss event. Already cited for its beautiful, scenic course and 20 live bands, the event now draws many of the nation's greatest over-40 endurance runners to the USA Masters Half Marathon Championships.
The event takes place Sunday, February 8 near the intersection of US1 and Highway 192 in Melbourne. The Marathon and Half Marathon begin at 6:45 a.m., with the 5K set to start at 7 a.m. Registration has picked up markedly in December, and event producer Mitch Varnes expects further acceleration in the final weeks as anticipation grows for the event.
"The event planning is going incredibly smoothly," Varnes said. "The support for this event is contagious and affecting not just runners but politicians, police officers and our local community. I believe it shows the need ad desire to have a major running event in East Central Florida."
For complete information, go to www.themelbournemarathon.com.
ELITES LINE UP FOR USA MASTERS HALF MARATHON CHAMPIONSHIPS
They're fleet, seasoned, record-holders and race winners … and they're all over 40.
As soon as the State Farm Melbourne & Beaches Music Marathon receive official sanction from USA Track & Field as the host site for the 2009 National Masters Half Marathon Championships, the elite athletes signed up. Consequently, competitors and spectators will watch many of the nation's top over 40 runners battle for a huge chunk of the $12,000 prize purse.
Among confirmed entrants as of December 20 is Paul Aufdemberge, whose personal best, 1:02:30, is the fastest in the field. He'll be pushed by Carl Rundell (1:07:56), Dim Derick (1:08), Carlos Martins (1:08:07), and top female Jody Hawkins (1:11:47). Many more elites are expected to sign up as the race approaches.
FORMER BOSTON MARATHON WINNERS RODGERS, MEYER IN RACE
A pair of former Boston Marathon winners will be among the competitors in the USA Masters Half Marathon Championships.
Four-time Boston and New York winner Bill Rodgers is paying a special visit to Melbourne for the event. Rodgers, now 61, raced nearly 40 times in 2008, and is preparing to run Boston for the first time since 1999. He will be the featured speaker at the pre-race pasta dinner, and a general emissary throughout the event.
Also running is the last American to win Boston, Greg Meyer. The 1983 champion, Meyer has also won the Chicago and Detroit marathons.
To read an interview with Bill Rodgers, go to www.themelbournemarathon.com
A LOOK AT THE COURSE
The State Farm Melbourne & Beaches Music Marathon covers one of the most scenic circuit layouts in the country. Runners will compete on a 13.1-mile loop that runs along Harbor City Blvd. in Melbourne, across the Intracoastal Waterway to Riverside Drive, down to the town of Indialantic, over the Intracoastal, and back up Harbor City Blvd. Marathoners will run two loops, while Half Marathoners will cover the mostly flat course once.
For a course map and additional information, go to www.themelbournemarathon.com.
REGISTRATION CONTINUES
Discount registration will continue until January 15 for the State Farm Melbourne & Beaches Music Marathon. Discount fees are $90 for the Marathon, $75 for the Half Marathon and $30 for the 5K.
To register online, go to www.themelbournemarathon.com.
OUR TRAVEL PARTNERS
The State Farm Melbourne & Beaches Music Marathon has partnered with the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Melbourne Beach and Delta Airlines to transport and house visiting racers and their families.
The Crowne Plaza, which sits on the Atlantic Ocean, is the event's Official Hotel Headquarters. It is providing discounts to registered runners; be sure to mention the code "RUN" when registering. Call 321-777-4100 or go to www.cpmelbourne.com to book a room.
For complete hotel and airline information, go to www.themelbournemarathon.com.
HOLIDAY TRAINING TIPS: Run Plenty, Eat Carefully
Normally, most runners take advantage of the holiday season to eat heartily, run when they can, and set their watches to resume hard training after the New Year's college bowl games have finished.
The story is much different for racers preparing for the State Farm Melbourne & Beaches Music Marathon. Because the race is just seven weeks away, runners should be entering a four- to five-week cycle of peak training — which should be between 35 and 100 miles per week, depending on performance level. Between winter weather and the holidays, that can be a daunting challenge.
From our crew of seasoned marathoners and half marathoners, a few quick tips to pack your holidays with miles, family visits, fun and food:
1) Eat big on Christmas (or Hanukkah): Everyone wants to indulge, so indulge! Be disciplined enough to do it only once. Eat all the meat, veggies, casseroles, sweets and snacks you want, then run it off on the 26th.
2) Max weekend training: Christmas and New Year's Day fall on a Thursday and Hanukkah starts on a Sunday night, so the weekends are clear for major mileage. Load your weekends with miles. Also, Marathoners and Half Marathoners will be due a long run at the six-week-until-race mark, which is December 27.
3) Stretch more than usual: In the event you eat excessively over the holidays, your body will need added help stretching out. Be sure to stretch after a 10- to 15-minute warmup jog, then stretch thoroughly after each run.
4) Run in the mornings: It's college bowl and NFL playoff season. If you're a football fan, complete your training in the morning and enjoy the games with plenty of liquids, chips and Clif Bars.
OUR SPONSORS
The State Farm Melbourne & Beaches Music Marathon has enjoyed significant support from city officials in Brevard County, Melbourne and Indialantic, along with the Space Coast Board of Tourism and the Melbourne-Palm Bay Area Chamber of Commerce.
State Farm Insurance is the umbrella sponsor of the event. Additional sponsors include: Florida Today; Health First; Delta Airlines; Melbourne International Airport; Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Audi of Melbourne; Crowne Plaza Melbourne Oceanfront; Space Coast Credit Union; Bright House Networks; Beachside Performance & Health Studio; Flammio & Schultz Financial team of Wachovia Securities; Florida Eye Associates; and McDonalds.
REMINDER
Reminder: To register for the State Farm Melbourne & Beaches Music Marathon, go to www.themelbournemarathon.com.
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