A full field for city marathon
Sunday's event has attracted 16,000 participants - the most in its history.
Mayor Street, an avid fitness buff, joined other officials yesterday to announce plans for Sunday's 14th annual Philadelphia Marathon.
"For the first time in its 14-year history, the marathon is sold out," Janis Pierce, deputy city representative, said at a news conference at Lloyd Hall on Boathouse Row. She said that nearly 16,000 people would participate in the seven-hour, one-day event in which runners compete on a 26.2-mile course. The number of participants is up 30 percent from last year.
Selling out an event such as a marathon means there is no room for late registrants.
"Fourteen years ago, we started with only 1,500 qualifiers," Pierce said of the event.
The course begins at 22d Street and the Parkway and runs through Fairmount Park into Center City, and then into Manayunk.
The day's events include the marathon, a half-marathon - both of which will start at 7 a.m. - and an eight-kilometer run, which will begin at the same location at 7:15 a.m., officials said.
Street said the marathon was "becoming one of the featured events that people look forward to in our city."
"When you mention 16,000 people, that has to be some kind of record," Street said.
The mayor, who has been a strong advocate for fitness, said he started a personal exercise and fitness program 40 years ago, on Jan. 1, 1968.
"It's something I am very proud of," said Street.
He said he ran his first marathon in 1980. "We started way out in the suburbs," Street said.
"Marathoning is a wonderful sport and a great form of exercise," said Street, who noted that he had run in five marathons but would walk the course this year.
The weekend festivities include a Health and Fitness Expo at the Liacouras Center at Temple University from noon to 7 p.m. today and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. tomorrow.
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