The 17th annual Philadelphia Marathon is scheduled to begin at 7 a.m. Sunday. The half marathon has 9,000 registered runners, and 3,000 runners are expected to take part in Saturday's Rothman Institute 8-kilometer run. Many participants are coming from out of town.
More than 50,000 spectators are expected to line the course to watch the marathon runners, organizers said. The male and female winners will receive $3,500 each.
The Philadelphia Marathon and a major convention are creating a shortage of hotel rooms this weekend. “The entire city is very tight,” said Ed Grose, executive director of the Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association
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Bill Fitzgerald, general manager of the 432-room Doubletree Hotel Philadelphia, said he turned away 1,000 potential customers. "It's a very big weekend. We could have sold the hotel out twice," he said.
City Representative Melanie Johnson, the executive director of the Philadelphia Marathon, said that construction on Kelly Drive forced the elimination of Lemon Hill from the course. However, Johnson said she does not expect the change to alter the enthusiasm of the competitors.
Hang out at one of the Cheer Zones to participate in the marathon without then needing an ice bath for your legs. Shake a noisemaker, rock out to featured “Run to It” playlists, sip on some hot chocolate, and even sign up to track your friends’ or family members’ times on your cell phone.
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