Many Murray State students are among the hundred preparing to participate in Murray’s Half Marathon on April 13 hosted by Murray-Calloway County Hospital.
The Murray Half Marathon is a 13.1 mile route that gives those running a scenic grand tour of the Murray and Calloway County area as well as provides a way to stay in shape.
Half marathon runners start at the Center for Health and Wellness at Poplar Street then head downtown to Murray’s historic courthouse square. Participants also go through Central Park and hit Murray’s main road, U.S. 641 and go past Roy Stewart Stadium and onto the countryside of Calloway County for the duration of the race.
The route the runners take stays fairly flat and offers plenty of scenery along the way for the participants to enjoy.
More than 90 state, city and county personnel have signed up this year to control or redirect traffic on the course and to make sure that the runners and all involved stay safe.
This is the third year Murray Calloway County Hospital has hosted the event, and the number of runners last year totaled to approximately 600.
Keith Travis, vice president of endowment for Murray Calloway Endowment for Healthcare, said the goal for this year’s marathon is 1,000 participants and hopes these numbers can help in promoting wellness for the community as well as provide funding for the hospice house project.
“The race is not only about promoting a healthy lifestyle that is essential for everyday life,” Travis said. “It is also about doing something that is for the greater good of the Murray and Calloway County community.”
Many University students are also participating in the race.
Valerie Bender, senior from Geneva, Ill., said participating in Murray’s half marathon has been a goal of hers for a while now, and she has finally set out to accomplish it.
“I am preparing for the marathon by following a program I received from a friend who ran last year,” Bender said. “I try to devote any free time that I have into training.”
The Murray Half Marathon has also provided a 13-week training program for participants. The program meets every Saturday at 10 a.m. and those participating pay a fee of $35 and receive a group T-shirt, Saturday clinics and training, sessions with an athletic trainer as well as access to a registered dietitian. Weekly motivation emails are also distributed to help give runners an extra push during the week.
The event provides a chance for spirit teams to compete for a prize and lets members of the community enter into a drawing for various prizes. There are currently 20 different spirit teams signed up that are fired up and ready to cheer on this year’s runners.
Along with the half marathon there will also be a 5K race as well as a half marathon relay happening the same day, also hosted by Murray-Calloway County Hospital.
Anyone interested in participating in Murray’s half-marathon can go to www.murrayhalfmarathon.org to register. Registration ends on April 12.
Bender said: “I am really looking forward to the sense of accomplishment I gain when I cross that finish line. It will make all the training and hard work well worth it.”
Story by Rebecca Walter, Staff writer.