The annual July 4th Mt. Marathon race in Seward will see a few changes for their 90th anniversary including a shortened registration period and increased spots in the junior race.
Seward Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Cindy Clock explains why the Mt. Marathon committee shortened the registration period from three months to one month.
Clock: “Basically it’s just efficiency, ya know, it doesn’t really take three months for people to register for the race with everything being done online now, we really just don’t see the need for that sort of registration period.”
The registration period will now open on March 1st and run through the regular deadline of March 31st.
2017’s race will also add 50 spots in the Junior Race: 25 for the Boys’ division and 25 for the Girls’.
Clock says increased interest in the youth division was demonstrated last year when over one-hundred junior applicants were unable to participate, spurring the addition of the spots.
The last change for the upcoming race is that the third race, which is the Men’s race this year, will be moved up by a half-hour to 2:00 pm.
Clock says the committee has toyed with race start times over the last couple years as they work to find the “sweet spot” that allows the most efficient use of volunteers on race day.