Naperville Marathon's go time has arrived
It's go time for roughly 6,000 marathoners and half-marathoners registered for the third annual Healthy Driven Naperville Marathon, which takes to city streets beginning at 7 a.m. Sunday.
Runners will take off from Eagle Street near the Naperville Municipal Center, then run south along Washington Street to Hobson Road. There, they'll turn back north and wind their way through several subdivisions until they reach Chicago Avenue.
Next comes a new part of the course many are excited about, which brings runners through downtown on parts of several streets including Washington, Jefferson, Mill and Douglas. Half marathoners finish there, while marathoners go back south on West Street to Rickert Drive, 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.
The 13.1- and 26.2-mile races are the culmination of months of training for runners and months of planning for organizers with Naper Events LLC as well as title sponsor Edward-Elmhurst Healthcare and volunteers from many organizations.
It's one foot in front of the other until the end, and it's certainly no easy feat.
So don't be surprised if a look around Naperville Sunday morning yields plenty of brightly attired athletes seeking a goal - or celebrating a victory.
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 re-open 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 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 this 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 the day
• 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