More than 20,000 runners and walkers will take to San Diego streets for the 10th annual Rock’n’Roll Marathon on Sunday, June 3.
The crack of the starting gun will send marathoners off from Balboa Park at 5 a.m. The route moves through Downtown to the northbound lane of the 163 freeway, then circles around Mission Bay before ending 26.2 miles later at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in Point Loma.
“I guess you can say it’s one big, large block party for 26.2 miles,” said Elite Racing Event Manager Megan Young.
With an average of one band for every mile along with course, the atmosphere will definitely be lively. Cheer squads from Point Loma High, Serra High and La Jolla High schools will offer a dose of school spirit for the runners.
But even more motivating is the prize for first place: $20,000 and a new car.
Drivers are warned to use alternative routes during the marathon or advised to wait until the marathon has passed before trying to get in or out the areas affected by the race.
Mission Bay and the beach areas will be most affected between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. One lane of eastbound Grand Avenue between Olney Street and Mission Bay Drive will be dedicated for participants while remaining lanes will be open for cars trying to reach Interstate 5. Northbound Ingraham Street will be closed from Interstate 8 to Crown Point until 1 p.m. Northbound traffic will be able to use a lane of southbound Ingraham Street.
Highway 163 southbound will be closed for 10 hours between 2 a.m. and noon and delays are expected on all freeways.
Heavy congestion is expected along southbound Interstate 5 between SeaWorld Drive and Downtown during peak finishing hours between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Interstate 8 between Mission Bay Drive and Morena Blvd will also be heavily affected during that time.
No closures are expected in the Ocean Beach/Point Loma area, however delays should be expected because marathoners will finish at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in Point Loma. A full list of closures and alternate routes can be found on the event Web site www.rnrmarathon.com.
Among the expected 20,000 participants will be approximately 3,900 runners, joggers and walkers from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Teams in Training (TNT). The teams participate in triathlons, bicycle marathons and traditional marathons to raise money on behalf of the society, according to Kristin Saco.
The $12 million TNT expects to raise from this event will pay for research and patient services, she said. About 540 San Diegans on the team are expected to raise an estimated $1 million for the cause, she said.
Affectionately called the Purple Wave, the team will once again don their traditional purple tops for the run. They have been training since January and are the society’s leading fund-raising component, Saco said. Their motto, “Go Team!” carries significant meaning, she said.
“So if a spectator were standing alongside the course and saw [a team member] going by, if they yelled ‘Go Team!’ it would mean a lot to that person,” Saco said.
The combined efforts of Team’s in Training raises between $80 million and $100 million every year for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, she said.
The marathon is the highlight of Rock n Roll Health and Fitness expo at the San Diego Convention Center’s Sales Pavillion on Friday, June 1, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Saturday, June 2, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The expo features health and wellness clinics and sports apparel retail booths, Young said. The expo is free and open to the public, she said.
The weekend culminates in a post-race concert at San Diego State University’s Cox Arena Sunday at 6 p.m. Grammy-award winner singer Seal is slated to headline the show.
Volunteers and race participants gain free entry. Tickets will not be sold at the door, Young said.
Elite Racing, a sports marketing and management company, organizes several full and half marathons annually like the Nashville Tennessee Country Music half Marathon, and the Rock n Roll Marathons in Virginia Beach and San Jose, Young said.
The company started 20 years ago with the Carlsbad 5000, a 5k run that attracts about 10,000 runners and walkers to Carlsbad every year, Young said.