In a press release yesterday, the director of the Cleveland Marathon announced some significant changes to this year's race route. In addition to a new, yet-to-be-determined start/finish line due to FirstEnergy Stadium repairs, the major alteration is that the city's East Side will no longer figure into the route at all. Based on runner feedback, the marathon leadership has elected to keep all three Sunday races downtown and on the West Side.
Director Ralph Staph said survey respondents "overwhelmingly supported" that idea, so he's now coordinating with Lakewood and Rocky River to "identify the best options" for the route through the suburbs before returning to city limits.
The Cleveland Marathon! Now in Rocky River!
"Planning a course is a very complicated and complex process," Staph said in the press release. "Folks don't realize how many details go into finding, securing, measuring and getting approval for all the roads that each of the courses affects. So, we appreciate the runner feedback, as it helps us gauge what matters to them - but we hope they understand that not all suggestions can be logistically accommodated."
Except completely excising one half of the city proper. That's a piece of cake.
