There are changes coming to the Rochester Marathon. That road race, which is now owned and operated by Yellow Jacket Racing, will now encompass more of the City of Rochester, specifically the northwestern portion of the city.
Runners will no longer be running those 14 miles along the Erie Canal. The new course for the 26.2 mile race will include passing a gorge, waterfalls and neighborhoods on the northwest side.
Organizer Ellen Brenner-Boutillier says this will also make more sense from an operational standpoint.
"By having the loop the way we set it up, and then having the marathon with a second loop, it is actually logistically and safety-wise, for the municipalities,for the authorities, for medics, for everybody, it's a lot safer for people to manage and for us as event producers to manage. "
Brenner-Boutillier says the runners will also have a variety of scenic environments to enjoy along the way.
"We’re going over three waterfalls, we're going through the gorge, you have the Turning Point, you have the different neighborhoods, you have Lake Ontario, you have Genesee River , you have the different parks, so there's a lot of things going on, there's a lot of variety.
Both the full and half-marathon courses will start at Maplewood Park. They still end near Frontier Field. Organizers hope the new course will bring out even more spectators.
The race is scheduled for September 20th.
