2007 Denver Marathon Builds Strength and Inspiration in Second Year.

Denver Marathon Draws Inspirational Celebrities and Grows Substantially in Numbers 

DENVER -- The 2007 world-class Denver Marathon[TM] will ring in its second year with unprecedented sports momentum and almost double the number of race registrants as last year for the annual race that will occur in the Mile High City on Sunday, October 14, 2007. Approximately 10,000 participants are planning to participate over race weekend, which includes a marathon, a half-marathon, ING marathon relay and the McDonald's Mile Kids Race. The McDonald's Mile Kids Race, which has doubled in size since last year, will now be held on Saturday, October 13. The race day will draw runners from around the world and more than 1,200 volunteers will join together again to help make the event a success over the course of race weekend.

This year, the Denver Marathon announced its Celebrity Inspiration Run designed to encourage everyday people to find the inspiration to run with someone they admire while benefiting a worthy charity. The Celebrity Inspiration Run will have 13 celebrities who have all accomplished inspiring achievements including former Denver Broncos player Bill Romanowski, Scott Elrod, a cast member on ABC's "Men in Trees," Maggie Ireland, Miss Colorado 2007 and Rowdy Gaines, a gold-medal winning Olympic swimmer. Each celebrity will run approximately two miles in a relay on the day of the marathon.

The Denver Marathon will again welcome international elite athletes including Ecuadorians Martha Tenorio, three-time Olympian of the women's marathon and national record holder for the 5,000 and 10,000 meters and marathon, Kenyans Charles Kipligat and Rebecca Tallam, Guatemalans Alfredo Arevalo and Jose Amado Gracia and Taeko Terauchi Loutitt from Japan who is a leading female runner in both Japan and the United States and the defending marathon winner of last year's Denver Marathon.

The Denver Marathon follows a spectacular scenic route designed by renowned Boston Marathon and Denver Marathon Race Director Dave McGillivray and his Denver Marathon operations team. The course will start in front of the State Capitol, travel past many of Denver's major landmarks such as the Denver Public Library and the Denver Art Museum. It loops through LoDo (lower downtown) including Larimer Square, Pepsi Center, Union Station and Coors Field, and winds through City, Cheesman and Washington Parks and their neighborhoods. The final stretch will take runners down Denver's art district on Santa Fe Drive to the finish line and a post-race festival in Civic Center Park.

The racecourse is flat and has little to no elevation change and will be certified by USA Track & Field as a qualifier for the Boston Marathon.

Registration fees for the marathon are: $105; half marathon $85; and the marathon relay $200. The McDonald's Mile Kids Race fees are $10. Online registration for all Marathon events closes on October 10th at 11:59 p.m. Walk-up registration will take place at the Adam's Mark Hotel on October 12-13. For more information, to register or volunteer for race weekend, please visit www.denvermarathon.com.

"We are thrilled that in only our second year, we have almost doubled our growth," said McGillivray. "Our team has worked hard to make sure that every runner's experience is incredible - from bathrooms to supplies to volunteers - everything is in place to help runners experience a memorable sporting event."

The Denver Marathon is proud to also announce this year's inaugural sponsors of this year's Denver Marathon including ING, New Balance, Saturn, Colorado Athletic Club, McDonald's, CBS4, KBCO-FM, 5280 and Mile High Sports Magazines, Gatorade, Deep Rock, Clif Bar, Whole Foods, Coors Brewing Company, Coleman Natural Foods, Amazing Moves and the Adams Mark Hotel.

Approximately 100 participants in this year's Denver Marathon will represent chosen charitable organizations which will raise more than $200,000. These charities include the ING Run For Something Better, Denver's Road Home, the American Council of the Blind of Colorado, Boys Hope Girls Hope, Denver CASA, Legal Aid Foundation of Colorado, The Leukemia and Lymphoma Team In Training, The Metro Denver Sports Foundation Charities Board, Warren Village and Easter Seals.

Parking will be available at the Northwest and South of Civic Center Park and near Union Station. Runners can also park along the 16th Street Mall and ride the free shuttle-bus along the 16th Street Mall starting at 5:45 a.m. on race day.

Street closures throughout the city of Denver are anticipated between 7:00 a.m. to 2 p.m. during race day on a rolling closure schedule. Streets affected include the areas of: Civic Center Park, Cheesman Park, Washington Park, the LoDo area streets surrounding Pepsi Center and Coors Field. The residential streets of: 17th Ave., Gaylord, 11th Ave., Lincoln, 1st Ave., Logan, E. Kentucky, Downing, Franklin, Louisiana, Santa Fe, and 13th Ave. Denver Police assigned to every intersection on the race route will supervise emergency and public vehicular traffic. Detour signs will be posted at major intersections leading into the racecourse to safely re-route traffic. Please consult RTD for their revised bus routes for Race Day. Note that "No Parking Anytime" signs and "Tow Away Zone" signs will be placed on: 17th Ave. on both sides from Broadway to York; Gaylord from 17th Ave. to 11th Ave.; and Logan: from 1st Ave. to E. Kentucky. All other streets on the route will have an open traffic lane, and the Police will 'pulse traffic' across the streets for emergency vehicles.

Residents should expect delays during this time and the Denver Marathon recommends pre-planning activities during race day to minimize any traffic inconveniences. Please see a map, timeline and volunteer opportunities on www.denvermarathon.com for specific street closures and additional information.

About Denver Marathon[TM]

The largest Marathon in the state of Colorado, the Denver Marathon is the premier distance running event in the Mile High City which includes the marathon, a half-marathon, the ING Marathon Relay and the McDonald's Mile Kids Race. Owned and operated by Run Denver, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Experience Sports, LLC, the Denver Marathon brings an unmatched urban running experience to the Colorado community. For more information or to register for the marathon, half-marathon, ING Marathon Relay or the McDonald's Mile Kids Race, please visit www.denvermarathon.com.