Runners Gather in Tulsa as Route 66 Marathon Weekend Gets Under Way
Race weekend brought participants from across the country to Tulsa, where the 5k and 1k began Saturday and the marathon and half marathon are set to finish Sunday morning near Guthrie Green.
By Zanele Khumalo ·
Runners from Tulsa and around the country are in town for Route 66 Marathon weekend, spending the days before the races resting, eating well and building up excitement.
The 5k and 1k events kick off Saturday. The marathon and half marathon follow on Sunday morning, with both finishing near Guthrie Green.
On Friday, the pre-race expo at the Cox Business Center was packed with booths, merchandise and smiling racers collecting their packets for the Route 66 Marathon.
Reagan Carroll is among those taking part. She is running the half marathon and also joining a relay for the first time this year. It has been a decade since she last ran the half marathon, and she said the time feels right to return. Her three sons plan to cheer her on with drums. "I can hear them far ahead. I know they're coming to cheer me on," she said.
Others are running with a larger mission. Cristian Medina is executive director of Course for Change, a nonprofit that uses long-distance running to inspire at-risk youth between the ages of 12 and 18. The group is bringing 33 young people from Oklahoma City to run the half marathon on Sunday. "They really start to learn more about what they're capable of accomplishing," Medina said, adding that the aim is to help them "realize they can make a difference in their future."
Many participants travel across the country or even internationally to race. Connie DeFazio, who is 70, set out to run a half marathon in all 50 states. A breast cancer diagnosis several years ago made her think that goal was out of reach. "I got breast cancer," she said. "I thought I was done, but God said nope."
DeFazio is now five years cancer-free. Sunday's race will be her 50th half marathon and the last state on her list. "I will have reached my goal by the grace of God," she said.
Each runner has a different reason for racing, but those who compete in Tulsa say race day brings a particular energy to the city. Destiny Green, the Route 66 Marathon director, credited the city's hospitality. "Tulsa really treats runners well," she said. "That's a huge part that keeps people coming."
Information on road closures and course maps is available on the event's website.
Originally published by News Media House · Source: News On 6
