The 2013 Scenic City Half-Marathon, 5K and Charity Challenge are set for Saturday, Feb. 23 with the start and finish at Finley Stadium on 20th Street.
The longer 13.1-mile event begins at 8 a.m. while the 3.1-mile race is set for an 8:15 start. Entry fee is $50 for the longer race and $30 for the shorter race and are available only online at Active.com. There is no race day registration.
$7.50 of each entry fee will go to the charity of your choice. Those organizations include Area 4 Special Olympics, Chattanooga Community Kitchen, Chattanooga Room In The Inn, Children's Advocacy Center for Hamilton County, Children's Home/Chambliss Shelter, Girls On The Run and McKamey Animal Center.
Packet pickup is Friday, Feb.
22 from 4-8 p.m. in the Crystal Room of the Chattanooga Choo Choo, located at 1400 Market Street and from 6:30-7:30 on race day at the First Tennessee Pavilian, which is just across from Finley Stadium. Participants need to be reminded that a photo ID and an Active.com confirmation number are required at packet pickup and nobody can pick up another runner's packet.
All participants will receive a technical or dry/fit shirt and all finishers of the half-marathon will receive a medal.
The race begins at Finley Stadium and quickly turns right onto Riverfront Parkway where the course passes the Aquarium and Ross's Landing before going up the hill under the Walnut Street bridge and on out Amnicola. An eventual left turn takes runners onto the Tennessee Riverwalk where there will be four miles of scenic views along the Tennessee River before going through the Bluff View Art District and past the Hunter Museum.
After crossing the Walnut Street bridge, the course turns right onto Frazier Avenue before another right brings the competion back across the river via the Veterans Bridge. A right turn onto Riverfront and back along the same route as the beginning leads back to the finish line on Reggie White Blvd.
Defending champions for the Half-Marathon are Cleveland's Caleb Morgan, who was the first of 590 finishers in 1:15:19. Rebecca Greenwall, a UTC track and cross country standout, was the women's winner as she finished ninth overall in 1:25:01.
Knoxville's Jason Altman and Chattanooga's Leah Golden were the 5K winners with times of 16:37 and 22:38, respectively. The shorter race had 339 finishers a year ago.
This race is being directed by members of the Chattanooga Track Club with Katie Stanford serving as race director.
(Email John Hunt at nomarathonmoose@comcast.net)