There are cities and towns across America that are known as great running communities. I can’t tell you what makes them so, but places like Eugene, Boston and Boulder quickly come to mind as examples.

Perhaps, the definition includes a city with beautiful trails, varied terrain, groups that travel from other places just to train there, memorable races, a great community of runners and the infrastructure (people, equipment, know how and willingness) to make it all happen.

 

 

Tallahassee has found its way into this category now as well. It has the tradition and history to claim such a title. If you don’t believe it, watch this weekend as the USATF National Cross Country Championships are contested at the Apalachee Regional Park and the Tallahassee Marathon and the Tallahassee Half Marathon send over 1,000 runners through the streets of the city and surrounding areas.

On Feb. 3, for the 45th time, runners will participate in the Tallahassee Marathon. It is year number 36 for the half marathon and the second year for the 4-person relay team. More than 1,000 participants are expected by race director Sheryl Rosen to run through the streets of Tallahassee.

This year, one of those runners will be GWTC’s special guest, Meb Keflezighi, who has quite a tour of the running areas of Tallahassee scheduled.

 

 

The USTAF National Cross Country Championships are here for the second year in a row because of the terrific cross country park and facilities, known as the ARP, and because of the hard work and ingenuity of Visit Tallahassee, its current director of Sports, Amanda Heidecker and colleague Brian Hickey. 

Those who have run the Marathon or Half recently will be happy to see some nice course improvements. Each change should make the full and half courses considerably faster. FAMU Way and the extension of the Cascades Trail have been completed. That means runners no longer must climb up and down a series of sharp hills located between the 9.5-mile point and the 10-mile mark. FAMU Way and the Cascade Trail are well maintained and beautifully landscaped. 

 

 

 

The second major change is at the end of the race. Many a loud expletive has been uttered as exhausted runners realized they had to climb along St. Augustine Street all the way to Duval Street and then climb more on Duval to the finish line.

This year runners will finish in College Town on Madison Street and avoid what was probably the toughest hill on the course. Also, College Town should be a great place for family and friends to wait on their runners to finish. Shuttle service will be provided between the start and finish of the race. 

 

 

Meb Keflezighi is credited not just with being a great runner, but at a time when U.S. distance running was struggling, especially the marathon, he helped lift his fellow American distance runners out of mediocracy and brought credibility to the sport in this country. In 2004, it had been 28 years since Frank Shorter followed his 1972 Olympic Gold Medal with a silver medal at the 1976 Olympics.

No American male had won one since. Meb surprised the world by capturing the Silver Medal in the marathon in Athens, Greece that year. He came home from Greece to capture second place in the 2004 New York City Marathon. 

In 2009, Meb listened patiently for the starting cannon to fire at the beginning of his fifth New York City Marathon. It had been 27 years (1982) since an American man had won the New York City Marathon. Despite his illustrious career at that point, Meb had yet to win a major marathon. It would be a different day however as Meb ran a superior race to win the race.

 

 

He also broke a streak of non-American wins at the Boston Marathon by winning that race in 2014. Meb also won an amazing 12 U.S. championships, including three 10Ks, three 12K Cross Country races, and six 15K championships.

But his most impressive wins are perseverance over the difficult obstacles he faced, including making his way from the war-torn country of Eritrea, when he was 10 years old, to Italy. After almost two years in Italy he came to the United States. His story of transformation from an Eritrean refugee child to an American hero is one we hope you will come listen to during his Tour De Tallahassee. 

Here is a look at some of the highlights of his visit to Tallahassee. 

 

 

Friday, Feb. 1

3 p.m. – Presentation to high school runners and coaches at Leon High School (in the cafeteria) 550 E. Tennessee Street.

5 p.m. – Presentation to youth runners, GWTC Striders and others at Florida A&M College of Pharmacy Auditorium 1415 S. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd

Saturday, Feb. 2

8 a.m. – Community Run with Meb. This run is 5 Miles – starting from Lafayette Heritage Trail Park. It will include running the bridge from the trail over the railroad tracks to Alford Greenway and back. There will be a stop at the top of the bridge for pictures. (Directions)

1:30 p.m. – Live recording for the Marathon Training Academy podcast at the Double Tree Hotel, 101 S. Adams Street. Runners are invited to listen. 

2:30-4:30 p.m. – Meb will autograph books and then talk about his incredible life and career at the Marathon & Half Marathon Expo at the Double Tree Hotel

Sunday, Feb. 3

Meb plans to run the Tallahassee Half Marathon at approximately an 8 minute per mile pace. Registered runners are welcome to join him. 

You still have time to register and be part of the 2019 Tallahassee Marathon, Half Marathon or the Relay. The relay only requires 4 team members and promises to be a fun way to participate. 

Meb would love to have a lot of company as he runs on Sunday. After all, isn’t that how great running cities treat their guests? 

David Yon is addicted to running. In his spare time, he is an attorney with the Radey Law Firm.

 

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