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It's here — it's marathon day in Naperville

Naperville Marathon runners are starting their Sunday early.

They're eating their pre-race granola bars, bananas, coffee. They're stretching and breathing and looking for the bathroom and converging on the starting line behind Naperville Central High School, where they will begin the second annual race at 7 a.m., just a half-hour after sunrise.

It's race day in Naperville for racers, volunteers, police, residents, runners' family members and fans.

“They're very much part of the race itself, the race experience itself,” Race Director Dave Sheble said, referring to everyone who makes the marathon go — without actually running it.

Race day is expected to be an exciting one for runners and a potentially profitable one for downtown businesses that are offering specials and hosting watch parties.

Yet it also could cause inconveniences, with “rolling” road closures on segments of Washington, 75th, 87th and Mill streets as well as Book, Modaff, Plainfield/Naperville, Hobson and Hillside roads, among others. The closures are scheduled to start shortly before the fastest runners reach each intersection and end after the slowest pass by.

“This year we will be closing a number of city streets for a lot longer, so the impact will be more noticeable,” said Naperville police Sgt. Steve Schindlbeck.

New this year, the hub of the race will be Naperville Central High School and Knoch Park on Hillside Road, where the start/finish line is set up next to a new area for runners, fans, businesses and charities.

“Celebration Village is an exciting addition to the race this year,” Sheble said. “It'll have a lot going on for spectators during the race as they wait to see the finish and see the exhilaration on the faces of runners as they celebrate the accomplishment.”

Race day excitement

Naperville isn't new to marathoning anymore. The city hosted the first Edward Hospital Naperville Marathon last year, starting and finishing at North Central College, and organizers say community involvement only has increased since then.

“We have a lot of excitement around Edward and Elmhurst (hospitals) regarding the marathon,” said Brian Davis, vice president and chief marketing officer for Edward-Elmhurst Healthcare, the race's title sponsor. “We couldn't be more pleased with how well-organized and how well-run it was last year.”

Second-year marathon medical director Dr. Michael Hartmann said he and his staff of 20 doctors, 30 nurses and 10 medical technicians are prepared for all the maladies that could befall runners — be it dehydration, broken bones, muscle issues, or even heart problems, like one runner experienced last year.

“It was great to be on the other side after participating in multiple endurance events,” said Hartmann, a triathlete and marathoner who also works in Edward's emergency room. “It was great to be on the medical side taking care of the people.”

This year, 26 charities are involved with teams of racers running on their behalf. Many charities hosted carbo-loading smorgasbords for their runners last night, and they each have a presence at a charity village near the start/finish area. Several charities, such as 360 Youth Services and the Naperville Education Foundation, also will be spectators along the course.

“We have some noisemakers we're going to be handing out to folks,” said Ann Spehar, executive director of the Naperville Education Foundation, which supports Naperville Unit District 203.

Another Naperville nonprofit, a cancer fundraising group called Bike Bald, will stake out a spot near the start/finish to cheer on runners from aboard Neptune, the group's fire truck mascot.

“It'll be the first big thing the runners see, and coming in, the last before they make that turn and head to the finish line,” said Mike Wasilewski, volunteer neighborhood outreach and course marshals manager.

Speaking of course marshals, hundreds of them will be posted along with 160 police officers at the 285 intersections the course crosses.

“The course marshals keep the runners safe, direct the drivers, help keep the course integrity and safety throughout,” Wasilewski said. “This being a strictly street race, we have a lot more intersections to cover.”

Counting the marathon and half marathon courses, the routes use 27 road miles — up from nine last year when the race took runners through Springbrook Prairie and Green Valley forest preserves.

'Better and better'

Forty percent of the 6,000 registered runners are competing in the full marathon, and all marathoners will be running through downtown Naperville near the halfway point.

“The businesses are trying to support the runners and their followers by encouraging them to come downtown,” said Katie Wood, executive director of Downtown Naperville Alliance.

Twisted Olive at 232 S. Washington St. will be hosting a warming station, serving hot coffee and tea and allowing use of its bathrooms for marathon spectators, Wood said. Eggs Inc. at 220 S. Washington St. will open early and offer race day specials. Wood said the Gap at 223 S. Main St. will give 40 percent off all weekend to runners who show their race bibs, and she said Sugar Monkey Cupcakes at 28 W. Chicago Ave. is selling post-race treats.

The city's economic development officials expect this day to be an annual occurrence for a long time to come.

“This event is just going to keep growing and getting better and better,” said Christine Jeffries, president and CEO of Naperville Development Partnership. “As it starts to grow, we're going to start measuring some of the economic impact.”

Naperville Marathon touts new route, more racers

Naperville marathon team pushes for sub 3-hour finish

Pacers 'big help' to Naperville marathoners with goal times

  Khari Nelson, 6, and Averie Wehde, 8, of Girl Scout Troop 51568 from May Watts Elementary in Naperville make a sign use on race day Sunday to cheer on runners in the Edward Hospital Naperville Marathon. Mark Black/mblack@dailyherald.com
  Emelia Shuminas, 8, of Girl Scout Troop 51568 from May Watts Elementary in Naperville, colors a marathon sign to use when she and fellow Scouts cheer on runners Sunday in the Edward Hospital Naperville Marathon. Mark Black/mblack@dailyherald.com
  Scout troops, business groups, neighbors, volunteers and family members of runners in Sunday's Edward Hospital Naperville Marathon will be among the spectators who line the course, race organizers say. Mark Black/mblack@dailyherald.com
  Handmade signs, such as this one made by members of Girl Scout Troop 51568 from May Watts Elementary in Naperville, are expected to be out in force Sunday for the second annual Edward Hospital Naperville Marathon. Mark Black/mblack@dailyherald.com
  This year's Edward Hospital Naperville Marathon course runs through downtown Naperville, where businesses such as Terri Hayes' Artistic Creations Salon are finding ways to get involved. Hayes is running the half marathon as a pacer Sunday, while other downtown shops and restaurants are opening early, offering race day specials, hosting watch parties or giving discounts to runners. Scott Sanders/ssanders@dailyherald.com

Marathon road closures

This year's Edward Hospital Naperville Marathon and Half Marathon will tread on 27 miles of streets, up from nine last year. The routes cross 285 intersections staffed by volunteers and/or police. Roads will be closed when runners are approaching, and they'll reopen when all runners are past.

An interactive detour map on Naperville's website at <a href="http://naperville.il.us/napervillemarathon.aspx">naperville.il.us/napervillemarathon.aspx</a> can help people determine how to get to their destinations. The city also has developed a guide that notes shuttle service, parking areas and preferred spectator spots.

Intersections that will be affected, with approximate closure times, are:

• Hillside Road and West Street: 6:30 to 8 a.m.

• Rickert Drive and West Street: 6:30 to 8:30 a.m.

• 75th Street and Rickert Drive: 6:30 to 8:30 a.m.

• Rickert Drive and Bailey Road: 6:30 to 8:30 a.m.

• Bailey and Modaff roads: 6:45 to 8:45 a.m.

• 87th Street and Modaff road: 6:45 to 9 a.m.

• Modaff Road and Dupahze Street: 7 to 9 a.m.

• Dupahze Street and Seiler Drive: 7 to 9 a.m.

• Seiler and Gateshead drives: 7 to 9 a.m.

• Leverenz at Plainfield/Naperville and Book roads: 7:15 to 9:30 a.m.

• Book Road at 87th and 83rd streets: 7:15 to 10 a.m.

• Book Road and 75th Street: 7:30 to 10:30 a.m.

• Whispering Hills Drive and Oswego Road: 7:30 to 10:30 a.m.

• West Street and Aurora Avenue: 7:30 to 10:30 a.m.

• Mill Street and Ogden Avenue: 8 to 11:30 a.m.

• Mill Street and Jackson Avenue: 8 to 11:45 a.m.

• Washington Street at Jackson and Chicago avenues: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• Washington Street and Hobson Road: 8:45 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• Washington Street and Hillside Road: 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

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