'Showcase' marathon returning for third year in Naperville
Naperville has been down this route before as it prepares for its third annual marathon.
Well, kind of.
The 26.2-mile race — with a 13.1-mile half marathon course for those only half as crazy — returns on Sunday, Nov. 8, but this time with a new name, a new start/finish line and a new direction of travel that avoids some tedious hills and sends all runners along downtown streets.
Now called the Healthy Driven Naperville Marathon, but still sponsored by Edward-Elmhurst Healthcare, this year's race will begin at 7 a.m. on Eagle Street at the DuPage River near the Naperville Municipal Center.
“We changed the name and changed the location of the start and finish, but the rest will remain the same high-quality and fun that it has for the past two years,” said Brian Davis, vice president of marketing for Edward-Elmhurst Healthcare. “We couldn't be happier with how things have progressed over three years. We didn't know it was going to be so well-received in the community and by the city of Naperville. It's really become a showcase event for our region.”
Race directors with Naper Events LLC. say the main difference with this year's race is an increased focus on downtown, the jewel of shopping, dining and scenic streets that Naperville loves to show off.
“The overall experience of actually being downtown to start and finish the race will be great for runners and for local businesses,” Race Director Dave Sheble said.
All runners — instead of only marathoners as in the past two years — will run along downtown streets including Chicago, Jefferson, Main and Benton.
“We certainly are happy to be the start and finish point for the race this year so that runners from near and far can enjoy downtown Naperville before and after the race,” said Katie Wood, executive director of the Downtown Naperville Alliance.
Organizers, she said, have done a great job crafting the course so runners will be off core downtown streets fairly early in the race to reduce the impact on shoppers and others not connected to the event.
Runners, meanwhile, will be encouraged to become downtown customers — especially to eat their post-race victory meals through a free beverage program that features seven restaurants in the area and one at Route 59 and 83rd Street.
Each runner will get a ticket for one free drink, be it a soft drink, coffee, tea, hot chocolate or the race's official beer, the Victory Lap American pale ale brewed by Two Brothers Brewing Co. in Warrenville. But participating businesses also hope to host runners' friends and family who will be buying drinks and food at regular prices.
“I think it's just nice to reach out,” said Celeste Mattern Wagner, owner of Aurelio's Pizza, the non-downtown restaurant that's participating in the free beverage program, along with sponsoring free slices for runners at the finish. “It's important as a business owner to not only deliver a quality experience for our guests, but just to add to the quality of the Naperville community.”
While the race's economic effects are difficult to quantify, the energy it generates is evident to those who experience marathon day, said Christine Jeffries, president and CEO of the Naperville Development Partnership, an economic development organization.
“I think it's really the intangibles,” Jeffries said. “What we find in the Naperville Marathon is really the sense of community. It's a Boston qualifier, it showcases the community, and now using the downtown, it's even better.”
Course flip
Runners are anticipating a course that avoids, for one example, running up the hill on Chicago Avenue heading east from Washington Street toward the North Central College campus. For the flatlands of suburbia, the incline there is pretty steep. But this year, runners will get to coast past Wentz Hall and the city's central parking garage going downhill.
The course starts heading south on Washington Street to Hobson Road. From there, runners turn back north and wind their way through several subdivisions until they reach Chicago Avenue.
Next comes the downtown segment of the course that filters runners on Jefferson, Main and Benton streets to Mill Street, where they will make a loop around Naperville North High School.
From there, half marathoners run around neighborhoods west of downtown until they finish, but marathoners continue south on West Street to Rickert Drive and Book Road, Leverenz Road and a handful of other neighborhood streets.
The finale for full marathoners comes after running north along Washington Street, into a neighborhood north of 75th Street and back to the start/finish line via West Street and Aurora Avenue.
It's a course organizers hope will stick after three tries in three years.
“They've changed it every year, and I think it gets better every year,” said two-time Naperville Marathoner Kristen Nagle of Aurora, who also had the good fortune of naming “Victory Lap” as the race's special batch beer. “The course is always improving, the support is always improving.”
Running healthy
Edward-Elmhurst Healthcare officials, who provide the race's medical services and give the event its name, say they hope participants are improving their health by training for their distance-running goal. After all, the health system's “Healthy Driven” campaign with race car driver Danica Patrick as spokeswoman encourages people to set objectives — even simple ones — and take steps to live healthier lives.
“It's about people reaching their healthy driven goals wherever they are in their lives,” Davis said.
Even spectators can get their steps in by walking through downtown to cheer on their relatives or friends.
By walking about seven blocks out and seven blocks back, fans can see marathoners or half marathoners at the start, at Mile 8 (Benton Avenue and Mill Street), before Mile 11 (Spring Avenue and Mill Street) and at the finish in plenty of time.
“A spectator can watch a runner start and see them at four different places by walking,” Sheble said.
Weather can be key to performance in a distance-running event. In late fall, the Healthy Driven Naperville Marathon caters to those who prefer a chill in the air at the beginning of their run.
The race's Nov. 8 date also brings it close to Veterans Day, and race directors plan to continue the tradition they've started of paying homage to former military members through the spectacle of the competition.
Last year they allowed seven veterans to ride in a pace vehicle at the head of the race driven by Naperville Trolley & Tours. This year, they're encouraging spectators and runners to pay a visit to the nearby Healing Field of Honor at Rotary Hill, 440 Aurora Ave. And they're lining the start/finish chute with patriotic banners in our nation's colors.
“Everything is honoring our veterans. Even the volunteer hoodies are red, white and blue,” Sheble said. “We're going as far as we possibly can to thank and honor our veterans.”
Marathon road closures
This year's Healthy Driven Naperville Marathon and Half Marathon will take place completely on city and county streets, crossing hundreds of intersections, closing numerous roads and four parking facilities and creating dozens of detours. Roads will be closed on a “rolling” basis, meaning they won't close until runners are approaching and they'll reopen when all runners are past.
An interactive detour map available for the second year in a row on the city of Naperville's website at naperville.il.us/napervillemarathon.aspx can help people determine how to get to their destinations. The city also has developed a parking and spectator guide that notes shuttle service, parking areas and preferred public spectator spots.
Here is a list of major streets and intersections that will be affected with closures and detours at the following approximate times:
• Eagle Street from Aurora Avenue to Jackson Avenue: Closed throughout the day until late Sunday afternoon
• Jackson Street from West to Main streets: Closed throughout the day until late Sunday afternoon
• Washington Street from Jefferson Avenue to Hobson Road: 6:30 to 9:30 a.m.
• River Road and Aurora Avenue: 6:30 to 10:30 a.m.
• Pembroke Road and Chicago Avenue: 7:15 to 9:15 a.m.
• Mill Street and Ogden Avenue: 7:30 to 10:15 a.m.
• 75th Street and Book Road: 8 to 11:30 a.m.
• Leverenz Road and Book Road: 8:15 a.m. to noon
• 87th Street and Modaff Road: 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
• 87th Street and Washington Street: 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Emerald Drive and Elmwood Drive: 8:45 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Here is a list of parking lots that will be closed throughout Sunday
• Naperville municipal center parking deck, 400 S. Eagle St.
• Naperville Park District administration center, 500 W. Jackson Ave.
• Riverview parking lot, 151 W. Jackson Ave.
• Riverwalk parking lot, southwest corner of Jackson Avenue and Main Street