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Several hundred of them attended
a kickoff for the Green Bay Marathon on Wednesday night to jump-start that
process by registering early, finding training partners and gleaning tips
for a faster or further run.
About 6,200 runners crossed the
finish line for all of the Cellcom events in 2007. In addition to the
marathon, a qualifier for the Boston Marathon, a half marathon and 5K race
also started in front of Lambeau Field.
The marathon will keep its location
and course almost identical to its 2007 event. After years of starting in
downtown Green Bay, a new start and finish around Lambeau debuted last year
and was well-received by the runners, race director Sean Ryan said.
"There's
a few minor changes, obviously, we can't run over the old (De Pere) bridge
unless everybody wants to bring their swimsuits," Ryan said. Runners
in the full marathon will also get to run through the campus of St. Norbert
College in De Pere this year.
The half-mile WPS Kids' Power
Run is still held the day before the marathon in downtown Green Bay.
Professional runner and
California resident Sally Edwards delivered a keynote address that engaged
the audience in a number of heart-rate exercises she said would help
runners better target their training efforts. Under her guidance,
participants also split up according to the area they live in to find
someone living nearby for a training partner.
"Between January and May
there's lots of opportunity to drop out," said Edwards, a 16-time
Ironman finisher who has run more than 100 marathons and holds several
world records. "One observation is that women are more likely to drop
out without a support system."
With women representing more
than two-thirds of the half marathon participants in the previous year and
growing percentages in the full marathon, Ryan said it motivated him to
find a female speaker this year.
For Green Bay resident Amie
Gardipee, 28, who has run both full marathons and half-marathons in the
Green Bay event over the past five years, training with a partner could
very well help her determine which event to do this year.
As in previous years, funds
raised in the registration will be distributed to three local charities,
including a new one, the Boys and Girls Club of Green Bay.
Last year, the race donated a
record $45,000 to the Lakeland Chapter of the American Red Cross, The
Salvation Army and Habitat for Humanity, which completed its three-year
partnership and will be replaced in the rotation by the Boys and Girls
Club.
Race organizers are also
initiating a six-week training program through the Boys and Girls Clubs to
help children run the 5K race, even if they haven't done a lot of running
before.
Training runs
Prevea's training runs for the
half and full marathons kickoff on Saturday at Bay Park Square mall at 8
a.m. Half marathon trainees will run three miles and full marathon runners
will run five miles. For more information, visit
www.cellcomgreenbaymarathon.com/training/ preveatraining.php
On the Net
www.cellcomgreenbaymarathon.com
Training runs
Prevea's training runs for the
half and full marathons kickoff on Saturday at Bay Park Square mall at 8
a.m. Half marathon trainees will run three miles and full marathon runners
will run five miles. For more information, visit
www.cellcomgreenbaymarathon.com/training/ preveatraining.php
On the Net
www.cellcomgreenbaymarathon.com
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