Towpath Marathon facts for kids
The Towpath Marathon is a fun running event held every October. It takes place on the Towpath Trail inside Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Northeast Ohio. Besides the full marathon, which is about 26.2 miles long, there are also shorter races: a half-marathon (about 13.1 miles) and a 10K race (about 6.2 miles).
In 2009, the Towpath Marathon was a great place for runners hoping to qualify for the famous Boston Marathon. About 20.7% of its participants, which was 98 runners, ran fast enough to qualify!
The Race Course
The race starts on Riverview Road, just north of the Boston Mills Ski Resort. Runners head south for a short distance. Then, they turn east onto Boston Mill Road. After about half a mile, they enter the Towpath Trail.
Runners then go south along the trail for about seven miles. They turn around at the Ira Road Trailhead parking lot. From there, they run back north for 13 miles. Just north of the Station Road Bridge, runners turn around again. They head south for six miles until they reach the finish line. The finish line is at the Boston Store.
Runner's World magazine, a popular running publication, has called this race course "one of the most beautiful race courses in America."
A Bit of History
The very first Towpath Marathon happened in 1992. It was part of a special celebration. This event helped to officially open the Towpath Trail and the Ohio and Erie Canalway in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. On average, about 1,200 people participate in this yearly event.
Course Records
Here are the fastest times recorded for the full marathon:
- Male record – 2 hours, 27 minutes, 59 seconds
- Female record – 2 hours, 50 minutes, 42 seconds
