Record numbers for marathon?
Road closures, detours announced for Sunday’s race
LAKE PLACID — The annual Lake Placid Marathon and Half is set to return here on Sunday, June 9, and according to race owner and operator Greg Borzilleri, this year could possibly see its biggest field since he took over the race in 2017.
The total number of participants registered for Sunday’s event is over 1,200, according to Borzilleri. That will span across three different races — the full (26.2 miles) and half (13.1 miles) marathons and the 10-kilometer race, which will return after being added last year.
“Who knows how many will show up because I know the weather is a little iffy for race day,” he said. “It may be a little cooler or a little rainy.”
Borzilleri was unsure why the numbers have jumped up so much, but he believes that marathon running has been more popular after the COVID pandemic. He said this year’s race already has 20% more registered participants than last year. As of Monday, June 3, the 10K race was sold out.
“When we asked for approval from the village board, we said we’d cap it at 100 so we didn’t put a lot of stress on the community that it goes a long,” Borzilleri said.
All three races will start at 8 a.m. on Main Street in front of the Olympic Speedskating Oval — with a cut-off time of 2 p.m. — and will require the runners to complete a lap around Mirror Lake before making a left on Parkside Drive and a right down Mill Hill and toward Sentinel Road.
Once the 10K racers reach, the Sentinel Road/Newman Intersection, they’ll take a right before reaching Old Military Road, the participants will then make their way toward Station Street. The full and half marathon runners will stay on Sentinel and run down Cascade Road and River Road before turning back around.
All three races will reach the intersection in front of Lisa G’s on Sentinel Road, make a left down Mill Pond Drive, a right up McLenathan, a right up School Street and hard left up the School Ramp before returning to the oval on the right.
“The goal is to put on a safe and low-impact race on the community, a safe race for the athletes and just make sure that everybody has fun because that’s key,” Borzilleri said. “People seem to be flocking back to it because they have a good time.”
The current marathon record was set by Chuck Engle in 2006 when he finished in a time 2 hours, 34 minutes, 39 seconds. Engle is slated return to Lake Placid for the first time since he broke the record.
“He’s a big marathon guy and he’s flying in from Montana, and he’s going to grab a booth and speak to our athletes before the race goes off and provide some inspiration,” Borzilleri said.
On Saturday, the Lake Placid Marathon and Half will hold a children’s run from 2 to 3 p.m. at the oval. Registration starts at 1 p.m. Kids of all ages can participate on courses of varying lengths.
In April, Borzilleri was hoping to expand the event to weekend-long event, with a new race called the Main Street Mile. However, with that plan falling through, his goal is to have that race for next year’s event.
“With the blessing of the town and village board, next year we’re going to shoot for the Main Street Mile on Friday evening and make it a full on festival weekend,” he said.
For more, visit online at lakeplacidmarathon.com.
–
Road closures
–
– Main Street: Closed between the Town Hall and Mirror Lake Drive (High Peaks Resort) from 7:45 to 8:30 a.m. No overnight parking from Saturday at 2 a.m. to Sunday morning on Main Street from Central Garage to Cummings Road. Parking will resume on Sunday at 8:30 a.m.
– Mirror Lake Drive: From Northwood Road to Harbor Lane should expect delays. Please use caution. From Harbor Lane to Northwood Road, closed 8 to 8:45 a.m. Closed from Parkside Drive to Northwood Road from 8 until 8:45 a.m.
– Parkside Drive: Closed from Mirror Lake Drive to Morningside Drive from 8:15 until 9 a.m. Local traffic only. Please use caution.
–
New 10K course for 2024
–
– Newman Road: Expect runners outbound (10K race will have a max of 100 participants) from 8:20 to 9 a.m.
– Old Military Road: Be aware of runner presence on the sidewalk westbound. 8:25 to 9:05 a.m.
– Station Street: Be aware of runners on the sidewalk 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.
– Route 73/Route 86 intersection at Mill Hill: Expect delays from 8:15 to 9 a.m.
– Route 73/Sentinel Road/Cascade Road: Southbound lane will be closed from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. between the Main Street intersection and Old Military Road intersection. The northbound lane will be open (use caution) to local traffic with delays expected at Old Military Road intersection. Runners will travel in northbound lane from the John Brown Farm/Sentinel Road intersection to River Road.
– Mill Pond Drive/McLenathan Avenue: Closed inbound from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Local traffic only.
– School Street: Closed between McLenathan Avenue and Colden Ave from 9 a.m to 2 p.m. Use McKinley Street as a detour.
– River Road: Open to local traffic only.
–
Alternate Routes (8 a.m. to 2 p.m.)
–
– For northbound through traffic on Route 73 entering Lake Placid: Head west on Old Military Road at the ski jumps. Follow Old Military Road to firehouse and make a right on Mill Pond Drive. Make a left on Wesvalley Road and right onto Cummings Road to arrive at Main Street.
– For Southbound traffic leaving Lake Placid on Route 73: Make right off Main Street at Cummings Road and left at Wesvalley Road. Make a right onto Mill Pond Drive and left onto Old Military Road at the firehouse. Old Military Road intersects Route 73 at the ski jumps.
– Two-way alternating vehicle traffic will continue throughout the event at the ski jump bridge on Route 73 with Old Military Road accessible in both directions. Runners will be confined to northbound Route 73 between the John Brown Farm/Sentinel Road intersection and River Road while traffic is metered in the southbound lane.
– Runners will proceed clockwise around Mirror Lake Drive on the inside lane from 8 to 8:45 a.m. Vehicles will be allowed around Mirror Lake Drive from Northwood Road to Harbor Way during this period.
– For those traveling on Route 86 west through Lake Placid, avoid possible early morning delays by using Northwood Road, Mirror Lake Drive and Harbor Lane to reach Saranac Avenue.