Half marathon makes a return toRichmond race in November

MARIA HOWARDFitness The arrival of fall brings out the runners in Richmond. The cooler air and drop in humidity provide incentive for runners to push it a little farther, a little faster.

And this fall, for the first time in 11 years, local runners have the option of doing a half marathon during the city's premier running event.

The SunTrust Richmond Marathon, voted "America's friendliest marathon" by Runner's World magazine, is scheduled for Nov. 15. The last time the Richmond marathon was accompanied by a half marathon was in 1997.

This year, the half is back. Now called the McDonald's Half Marathon, the event already has drawn more than 2,500 registrants.

A marathon is 26.2 miles; a half is 13.1 miles.

The half-marathon course was designed to minimize the number of roads blocked, which was the problem that led to the suspension of the half marathon in 1998, said Jon Lugbill, executive director of Richmond Sports Backers.

The first couple of miles are on the marathon route, except half-marathon runners will start 30 minutes earlier so they should be clear when the marathoners come through. Then, the half marathon will be on its own route in North Side, looping through Bryan Park and Virginia Union University before joining back in with the marathon route for the last 7 miles.

"It took a lot of figuring on how to get this to work right," Lugbill said. But the course is a good one, he said, without a lot of time-hampering hills.

"It's a very fast course," Lugbill said. Sports Backers expects about 5,000 runners to participate.

The running community is welcoming the return of the half marathon.

"It's something people wanted," said Tom Suddeth, owner of the Road Runner store in Carytown. It's a great option for runners who are ready to try something longer than an 8K or 10K. And while a half marathon is a big achievement, it doesn't take the training time or physical endurance that a marathon does. "Orthopedically, most people can do it," Suddeth said. "I've always liked the half."

In addition to the marathon and half marathon, the Nov. 15 event will include the Ntelos 8K (4.96 miles), which can be run or walked. So there's a little something for everyone.

But don't be fooled into thinking the reinstated half marathon will outshine the merits of "America's friendliest marathon."

As Lugbill said: "Our marathon's still the crown jewel of the weekend."