Community Corner

New Jersey Marathon Festival To Feature Some Changes This Year

Marathon course will now span nine towns and have two starting times.

Participants in this year's New Jersey Marathon Festival will see some major changes this year.

New Jersey Marathon Festival Race Director Art Castellano announced that the full marathon will now span nine towns, after previously encompassing a double loop through three towns.

Another change to this year's festival is that it will feature two starting times. The full marathon will begin on May 1, at 8 a.m. and the half marathon will begin at 8:30 a.m.

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"The reason for the change (in starting times) is the size," Castellano said. "There will be close to 12,000 participants this year."

Castellano said about 4,000 people will participate in the full marathon and between 8,000 and 9,000 racers will run or walk in the half marathon.

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Both races will still begin at the Long Branch Ocean Promenade, which is just north of Pier Village and the Ocean Place Resort and Spa. Castellano, who was a teacher in Long Branch for 30 years, said despite any changes to the race, it will always begin and end in Long Branch.

"There's no other town that could host the New Jersey Marathon," Castellano said.

After adding Oceanport to the marathon last year, Allenhurst, Asbury Park, Loch Arbour, Deal, Ocean Grove and Bradley Beach will also be a part of this year's race.

Both races will begin at the Promenade and move north, past Seven Presidents Park in Long Branch before heading into Monmouth Beach. The races then turn west into Oceanport before heading back into Long Branch and down major streets such as Joline Avenue, Broadway and Second Avenue.

Once the racers reach Brighton, those participating in the half marathon will head west toward the boardwalk and then north and back to the start/finish line. 

Those participating in the full marathon will make a right onto Ocean Avenue and continue south and around Lake Takanassee. They will then continue through Elberon, Deal, Allenhurst and Loch Arbour before entering Asbury Park where the course will curve around Deal Lake. 

Racers will then head down the boardwalk in Asbury Park and into Ocean Grove and Bradley Beach. The turnaround of the race is about a tenth of a mile into Bradley Beach according to Castellano. Participants will then head north through the same course and head back to the start/finish line.

Castellano said the new course will help ease the traffic burden for locals and businesses as the race areas around North Long Branch and Monmouth Beach will be reopened in less than one hour.

Castellano said he feels the race has been embraced by municipalities along the Jersey Shore for two main reasons.

"It has a positve financial impact on Long Branch, and I think that because known as charitable event, more people show up," Castellano said.

He explained that the race helps raise funds for 25 local charities through the participants fundraising efforts.

"Well over $1 million is going to charity through our event and municipalities know that," Castellano said.

One of the events that leads up to the race is the New Jersey Marathon Festival Health and Wellness Expo from April 29-30.

The expo, which is free and open to the public, has a new location this year as well. In past years, the expo was at Ocean Place Resort & Spa, but will now be held at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, in order to accommodate the increasing number of participants, according to Castellano. 

Monmouth Park already acts as a giant parking lot for those who participate in the marathon, as there will be busses shuttling people into Long Branch from the park on race day.

Castellano added that there also be a special train from NJ Transit which will be only be used by race participants the morning of the race.

"We are trying to encourage people to park near their train stations," Castellano said. 

There will also be a race a number of family events the day before the race which will feature a 3-mile fun run and 1.2-mile marathon for children. Castellano said these family-friendly events will take place at the Promenade from 8 a.m. to noon on April 30.

For more information on the New Jersey Marathon Festival or to register visit www.njmarathon.org.


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