Inaugural Saipan Marathon is closing in

With only three and a half weeks remaining before the inaugural Saipan Marathon, local athletes are most likely preparing for a monster run this weekend before tapering down the rest of the way until they go the distance on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2006.

Currently 11 local athletes have either registered or expressed their interest in the longest running race in the CNMI, but they will not be alone, as a boat load of Koreans have already done the same.

With the continued marketing efforts of the Marianas Visitors Authority, Northern Marianas Athletics, and a little luck, a number of Japanese endurance enthusiasts will join the growing pack as well.

The first test that the runners will face 25 days from now is whether or not they will be able to wake up in time for the 3:30am race start. Chances are that they will not tempt the fates and waste months of training with a sub-par alarm clock.

The early morning greetings will be exchanged on “Finisher’s Street” alongside the Hyatt well before the rosters engage in their morning banter, and it’s a safe bet that race day volunteers will be sipping hot coffee to wake up while the athletes work their arms and legs to limber up.

Once the gun sounds to start the race, the runners will take off from the Micro Beach parking lot toward Chalan Pale Arnold, where they will take a left and proceed north to Marpi.

The sun will still be safely tucked beneath the Pacific Ocean when the first runners reach the turn around point little more than a half mile past Pau Pau Beach. From there the pack will follow the path from which they came, and the fastest of the footers will return to “Finisher’s Street” and turn left down Beach Road before the waiting crowd starts the 25th Annual Saipan Half-Marathon and 10km races.

The runners will have the placid waters of the Saipan Lagoon to their right as they continue through a number of aid stations on their journey southbound to San Antonio.

All of the racers will pass by the Japanese Tank across from Quartermaster Road, but only the 10km runners will have the luxury of turning around and heading for home when they reach Microl Toyota. It will still be dark when they do, but the sun will begin to singe the clouds soon thereafter.

The rest of the pack will take leave of the water’s edge and continue south until they are welcomed by a crowd of volunteers just past the Pacific Islands Club. By that time the sun will have already breached the ridgeline to leave all of the runners felling the initial effects of Saipan morning’s heat during the remaining same six and a half miles back to the Garapan.

Several marathon training programs have runners churning out a few short runs this week and then cranking out an epic 20 miler on Saturday before tapering down before the dig day. Both the local and international runners can only benefit by a large turnout of supporters to cheer them along the way. Race organizers are requesting that the public join in the festivities by taking a position anywhere along the 26.2-mile course and cheering the athletes to the finish.

The cost to tackle the longest race in the history of the CNMI is $35, and the fee for the half-marathon and 10km will remain the same at $25, but in an effort to curb the rush of last minute entries, organizers are adding a $10 fee to anyone not registered for either of the three races by Friday, January 13, at 5pm. Registration will, however; remain open with the penalty pricing until the following week on Friday, Jan. 20, at 5pm.

History will be set in January when the top three runners in the male and female division take the tape as first ever finishers.

Last year, Jung Young Kim and Marcan Aldan topped the 215-runner field during the 24th Annual Saipan Half Marathon & 19th Annual 10-kilometer Fun Run respectively, and this time around the top three male and female finishers winners of the 21.1km and 10km as well as the age groupers in the 14 & under, 15 to 19, 20 to 29, 30 to 39, 40 to 49, and 50 and above will be rewarded.

For more information about the Inaugural Saipan Marathon, the 25th running of the Saipan Half-Marathon, or the 10km, contact Ed Diaz at MVA by calling 664-3210, or NMA President Kurt Barnes by calling 235-5853 or via email at kurtproa@yahoo.com.