Transcript
  • 2F ARGUSLEADER.COM l FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2015

    MAKE A SIGNEvery race course has signs along it. The

    normal mile-marker signs. The normal arrowstelling you which way to go. But the best -- trulythe best -- are the ones made by spectators.From the classic Go, mom, go! to the hilari-ous My mom is faster than your dad (a per-sonal favorite). We reached out through social

    media to get suggestionsfor outstanding signs youcan make and hold up orset up. Here are somesuggestions:

    Turn around! Its atrap!

    You PAID for this?Worst parade ever!You run marathons ... I

    watch them on Netflix!This seemed like a

    good idea when you signedup!

    Who needs toenails?(At mile 26, with a

    cutout of Kanyes head)Im gonna let you finish...

    Getting up early tomake this sign wasnteasy, either.

    SAY A CHEERThings you should say:You look great!Good job, runner!Keep it up! You make it look easy!Nice work!

    Things you shouldnt say (unless you aresuper, super funny and have perfect delivery):

    You people smell so bad!Did you pay money for this?Almost there! (Anywhere except mile 13 or

    mile 26.)Youre so slow! You look miserable!

    Pro-tip: Call out a runners number or de-scribe their clothes if you dont know theirname. Looking strong, pink shirt! You can doit, Twins hat!

    GIVEAWAYSThese items are always welcome along a

    course.Gummy bears.Orange slices.Vaseline!

    DEFINITELY:Ask for a high-five.Blast music.Dont be afraid to tell strangers theyre

    doing great.Write fun messages in chalk along the

    course -- even Run, Forrest, run! is welcome.

    Its glorious.So its always bothered me that

    in Sioux Falls, with more than 1,700people signed up to run either themarathon or the half-marathon onSunday, so much of the course hasbeen so empty.

    Taking the race through neigh-borhoods makes it easy -- just takeyour morning coffee, maybe afleece blanket for your legs,and drag your camp chairdown to the end of the drive-way. Ring a bell. Shout encour-agement. Play your favoritemusic from a portable speaker.

    I promise, anything you dowill mean a lot to the men andwomen filing past your housein what one sign at a racecalled the Worst parade ever.

    Theres still a lot of racealong the western side of thebike path -- a lonely time formarathoners clicking off miles22 to 26.

    And residents in the Cathe-dral Historic District and onthe border of All Saints neigh-borhood near 14th Street down-town have always been a partof the event.

    Now, more neighborhoods canget involved, especially in south-eastern Sioux Falls. If you livealong Sycamore Avenue, between41st and 57th, come out. Or along41st and Bahnson, near the four-way stop. Along 57th Street, westof Sycamore. Or near Rotary orCherry Rock parks.

    There are options downtown,too, from Falls Park to PhillipsAvenue. Downtown, there areplenty of outdoor seats. Grab alatte and just watch.

    Youll see people struggling.Youll see them overcoming. Youllsee your friends and neighbors andcoworkers, and when you call theirname, youll see their faces lightup, grateful someone cares.

    And if you have a son or adaughter, bring them along with acowbell and show them, in action,that hard work can pay off. Thatpeople are mostly good, andstrangers can become friends.

    If we do all that, well show thepeople from across the countrywho choose to spend their moneyon our races and our communitythat were grateful, and we wereworth their time.

    No matter what it is.

    MarathonContinued from Page 1F MARATHON FAQS

    GUIDE FOR VIEWING:

    Race organizers have put together a guide to for where to go, where to park and whento be there. Here it is:

    The runners will start their journey in frontof Howard Wood Field:

    PARKING: Howard Wood Field - Lot E or Lot F (enterparking lot from Russell Street)START TIME: 7 a.m.

    About halfway between miles 1 and 2 therunners will pass Veterans Memorial Park

    on Bailey Street:PARKING: 1001 Russell Street (MacDoctors)PEAK TIMES: 7:10 to 7:20 a.m.

    Shortly after mile 4 the runners will run eastdown 8th street and will turn onto N. Phil-

    lips Street heading north. Parking at this loca-tion enables you to see runners at the #5 specta-tor spot as well:PARKING: North Cherapa Place (CorTrust Bank -Cherapa Place) or on side streetsPEAK TIMES: 7:30 to 7:50 a.m.

    Mile 5 will run through Falls Park:PARKING: 131 E Falls Park Drive

    PEAK TIMES: 7:35 to 7:50 a.m.

    Runners will then proceed on the bike trailby the Greenway Amphitheatre:

    PARKING: North Cherapa Place (CorTrust Bank -Cherapa Place) or on side streetsPEAK TIMES: 7:40 to 8:05 a.m.

    Mile 7 is located on the bike trail nearCherry Rock Park. The Cherry Rock Park

    parking lot is just a short walk away from therunners path:PARKING: Cherry Rock ParkPEAK TIMES: 7:50 to 8:30 a.m.

    Fawick Park is located between miles 8 and9 on the half marathon route:

    PARKING: Fawick ParkPEAK TIMES: 8 to 8:30 a.m.

    Mile 11 is located on the south side ofTerrace Park:

    PARKING: Terrace ParkPEAK TIMES: 8:15 to 8:50 a.m.

    Runners then proceed to run alongsideCovell Lake:

    PARKING: Burnside ParkPEAK TIMES: 8:20 to 9 a.m.

    Howard Wood Field is where the runners13.1-mile journey ends. Bleacher seating

    and bathrooms will be available for all specta-tors:PARKING: Howard Wood Field - Lot E or Lot F (enterparking lot from Russell Street)PEAK TIMES: 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.

    MARATHON SPECTATOR SPOTSThe runners will start their journey in frontof Howard Wood Field:

    PARKING: Howard Wood Field - Lot E or Lot F (enterparking lot from Russell Street)START TIME: 6:30 a.m.

    About halfway between miles 1 and 2 therunners will pass Veterans Memorial Park

    on Bailey Street:PARKING: 1001 Russell Street (MacDoctors)PEAK TIMES: 6:35 to 6:50 a.m.

    Shortly after mile 4 the runners will runeast down 8th street and will turn onto N.

    Phillips Street heading north. Parking at thislocation enables you to see runners at the #5spectator spot as well:PARKING: North Cherapa Place (CorTrust Bank -Cherapa Place) or on side streetsPEAK TIMES: 6:45 a.m. to 7:15 a.m.

    Mile 5 will run through Falls Park:PARKING: 131 E Falls Park Drive

    PEAK TIMES: 6:50 to 7:20 a.m.

    Runners will then proceed on the bike trailby the Greenway Amphitheatre:

    PARKING: North Cherapa Place (CorTrust Bank -Cherapa Place) or on side streetsPEAK TIMES: 7 to 7:30 a.m.

    Mile 7 is located on the bike trail nearCherry Rock Park. The Cherry Rock Park

    parking lot is just a short walk away from therunners path:PARKING: Cherry Rock ParkPEAK TIMES: 7:15 to 7:35 a.m.

    Mile 8 is located near Rotary Park:PARKING: Rotary Park

    PEAK TIMES: 7:20 to 7:40 a.m.

    Lewis Park is between miles 14 and 15:PARKING: Street parking near Lewis Park

    PEAK TIMES: 8 to 8:30 a.m.

    This stop is located by Spencer Park whichis around mile 16 as the runners proceed on

    the bike trail:PARKING: Spencer ParkPEAK TIME: 8:20 to 9:00 a.m.

    Sertoma Butterfly House is in the middle ofmiles 19 and 20:

    PARKING: Sertoma Butterfly House & Marine CovePEAK TIMES: 9:05 to 9:35 a.m.

    Between miles 23 and 24 is Elmen ParkTrailhead:

    PARKING: Elmen Park TrailheadPEAK TIMES: 9:10 to 9:55 a.m.

    Howard Wood Field is where the runners26.2 mile journey ends. Bleacher seating

    and bathrooms will be available for all specta-tors:PARKING: Howard Wood Field - Lot E or Lot F (enterparking lot from Russell Street)PEAK TIMES: 9:15 to 11:30 a.m.

    HALF MARATHON SPECTATOR SPOTS

    FOLLOW ALONG:Follow sports reporter Ian Frazeron Twitter @ianmcfrazer andreporter Katie Nelson@katienjourno on Sunday forupdates and videos. Were also live-streaming the finishline at argusleader.com.

    FORRUNNERS:Packet pick-up for themarathon and half is10 a.m. to 7 p.m. atthe Sioux Falls Arena.There also is theSanford HealthFitness Expo duringthose hours.Good luck, runners!(And thank you,volunteers and spec-tators!)


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