Mike Radley, director of the Richard S. Caliguiri Great Race, knew there was a chance the largest field ever would line up today for the annual event.
When registration closed at 5 p.m. Saturday, 12,789 people had registered for the Great Race 10K and 5K, just 18 shy of the record of 12,807 set in 1987, making it the second-largest field ever in the 32nd running of the race.
That's enough to make him happy.
"Registration is through the ceiling," Radley said. "We're pleased, and we're excited to have so many runners and walkers joining us."
Pittsburgh might not be considered a running mecca, but there's no arguing the sport is surging in the city.
This is the third straight year that total participation has gone up after dropping earlier this decade, then leveling off at around 7,500 from 2004 to 2006. Last year's field was 11,593.
The original Pittsburgh marathon ran for 19 years but was shelved because of lack of money after the 2003 race. Registration hit an all-time high of 6,419 for that race.
When organizers announced the marathon would return in 2009, they hoped to attract 3,500 participants. They were shocked when more than 7,000 registered by early March, two months before the race, and they capped registration.
A record 9,482 finished the marathon, half-marathon and relay.
The numbers reinforce the interest Kevin Smith sees as owner of Elite Runners and Walkers store in Robinson.
"We're having our best year ever," he said. "This is coming off a time when we closed another store a year ago. Then 2008 was an increase over any other year, and this year there's a huge increase over that."
What strikes Smith is the number of people picking up the sport.
"It's not just the hardcore runners getting back into it, it's people you'd look at ... people like myself," Smith said. "I'm 6-foot-3 and 250 pounds. It's people who just want to get fit, and running is a great way to do it.
"It's fun, it's social and it's that social element that's drawing people in."
Liz Kennon, who heads Pittsburgh Sports League Running Club, said the number of people coming for weekly runs spiked in the months before the marathon. Although the number has since declined, it's higher than a year ago. An even greater number of people seek information about the group, she said.
In addition to the big races, smaller events are getting more participants, Kennon said. The Steelers 5K at the end of August drew a record crowd of 3,013, up from 2,068 the year before.
"Every race I've been to recently has been the biggest it's ever been," Kennon said. "There's been a huge increase in local races."
Bruce McGlothlin, president of the Greater Pittsburgh Road Runners Club for 25 years, said membership remains small but steady. Although he notices more people in their 20s and 30s taking an interest in running, particularly women, he wouldn't classify Pittsburgh as a racing city.
"Some people, they run the Great Race and that's it," McGlothlin said. "They're not interested in racing and running. You do see a lot of young kids and college kids running, but I don't think it's considered a running city, except for the Great Race and the marathon."
Still, the sport is healthy.
"It's not dying," said Mark Courtney, who said participation in Courtney's Ice Cream Race 5K, the annual race he directs in Grove City, increased about 15 percent this year. "I don't know if the economy's helping or hurting it, but it's still a pretty cheap sport to participate in. It doesn't take much money to train; just a good pair of shoes."
Radley believes the marathon helps the Great Race, and vice versa.
"Sometimes the more races you have, the better quality you have — and the better event you can produce knowing that the runners will come out," Radley said. Source
Mike Radley, director of the Richard S. Caliguiri Great Race, knew there was a chance the largest field ever would line up today for the annual event.
When registration closed at 5 p.m. Saturday, 12,789 people had registered for the Great Race 10K and 5K, just 18 shy of the record of 12,807 set in 1987, making it the second-largest field ever in the 32nd running of the race.
That's enough to make him happy.
"Registration is through the ceiling," Radley said. "We're pleased, and we're excited to have so many runners and walkers joining us."
Pittsburgh might not be considered a running mecca, but there's no arguing the sport is surging in the city.
This is the third straight year that total participation has gone up after dropping earlier this decade, then leveling off at around 7,500 from 2004 to 2006. Last year's field was 11,593.
The original Pittsburgh marathon ran for 19 years but was shelved because of lack of money after the 2003 race. Registration hit an all-time high of 6,419 for that race.
When organizers announced the marathon would return in 2009, they hoped to attract 3,500 participants. They were shocked when more than 7,000 registered by early March, two months before the race, and they capped registration.
A record 9,482 finished the marathon, half-marathon and relay.
The numbers reinforce the interest Kevin Smith sees as owner of Elite Runners and Walkers store in Robinson.
"We're having our best year ever," he said. "This is coming off a time when we closed another store a year ago. Then 2008 was an increase over any other year, and this year there's a huge increase over that."
What strikes Smith is the number of people picking up the sport.
"It's not just the hardcore runners getting back into it, it's people you'd look at ... people like myself," Smith said. "I'm 6-foot-3 and 250 pounds. It's people who just want to get fit, and running is a great way to do it.
"It's fun, it's social and it's that social element that's drawing people in."
Liz Kennon, who heads Pittsburgh Sports League Running Club, said the number of people coming for weekly runs spiked in the months before the marathon. Although the number has since declined, it's higher than a year ago. An even greater number of people seek information about the group, she said.
In addition to the big races, smaller events are getting more participants, Kennon said. The Steelers 5K at the end of August drew a record crowd of 3,013, up from 2,068 the year before.
"Every race I've been to recently has been the biggest it's ever been," Kennon said. "There's been a huge increase in local races."
Bruce McGlothlin, president of the Greater Pittsburgh Road Runners Club for 25 years, said membership remains small but steady. Although he notices more people in their 20s and 30s taking an interest in running, particularly women, he wouldn't classify Pittsburgh as a racing city.
"Some people, they run the Great Race and that's it," McGlothlin said. "They're not interested in racing and running. You do see a lot of young kids and college kids running, but I don't think it's considered a running city, except for the Great Race and the marathon."
Still, the sport is healthy.
"It's not dying," said Mark Courtney, who said participation in Courtney's Ice Cream Race 5K, the annual race he directs in Grove City, increased about 15 percent this year. "I don't know if the economy's helping or hurting it, but it's still a pretty cheap sport to participate in. It doesn't take much money to train; just a good pair of shoes."
Radley believes the marathon helps the Great Race, and vice versa.
"Sometimes the more races you have, the better quality you have — and the better event you can produce knowing that the runners will come out," Radley said. Source
Mike Radley, director of the Richard S. Caliguiri Great Race, knew there was a chance the largest field ever would line up today for the annual event.
When registration closed at 5 p.m. Saturday, 12,789 people had registered for the Great Race 10K and 5K, just 18 shy of the record of 12,807 set in 1987, making it the second-largest field ever in the 32nd running of the race.
That's enough to make him happy.
"Registration is through the ceiling," Radley said. "We're pleased, and we're excited to have so many runners and walkers joining us."
Pittsburgh might not be considered a running mecca, but there's no arguing the sport is surging in the city.
This is the third straight year that total participation has gone up after dropping earlier this decade, then leveling off at around 7,500 from 2004 to 2006. Last year's field was 11,593.
The original Pittsburgh marathon ran for 19 years but was shelved because of lack of money after the 2003 race. Registration hit an all-time high of 6,419 for that race.
When organizers announced the marathon would return in 2009, they hoped to attract 3,500 participants. They were shocked when more than 7,000 registered by early March, two months before the race, and they capped registration.
A record 9,482 finished the marathon, half-marathon and relay.
The numbers reinforce the interest Kevin Smith sees as owner of Elite Runners and Walkers store in Robinson.
"We're having our best year ever," he said. "This is coming off a time when we closed another store a year ago. Then 2008 was an increase over any other year, and this year there's a huge increase over that."
What strikes Smith is the number of people picking up the sport.
"It's not just the hardcore runners getting back into it, it's people you'd look at ... people like myself," Smith said. "I'm 6-foot-3 and 250 pounds. It's people who just want to get fit, and running is a great way to do it.
"It's fun, it's social and it's that social element that's drawing people in."
Liz Kennon, who heads Pittsburgh Sports League Running Club, said the number of people coming for weekly runs spiked in the months before the marathon. Although the number has since declined, it's higher than a year ago. An even greater number of people seek information about the group, she said.
In addition to the big races, smaller events are getting more participants, Kennon said. The Steelers 5K at the end of August drew a record crowd of 3,013, up from 2,068 the year before.
"Every race I've been to recently has been the biggest it's ever been," Kennon said. "There's been a huge increase in local races."
Bruce McGlothlin, president of the Greater Pittsburgh Road Runners Club for 25 years, said membership remains small but steady. Although he notices more people in their 20s and 30s taking an interest in running, particularly women, he wouldn't classify Pittsburgh as a racing city.
"Some people, they run the Great Race and that's it," McGlothlin said. "They're not interested in racing and running. You do see a lot of young kids and college kids running, but I don't think it's considered a running city, except for the Great Race and the marathon."
Still, the sport is healthy.
"It's not dying," said Mark Courtney, who said participation in Courtney's Ice Cream Race 5K, the annual race he directs in Grove City, increased about 15 percent this year. "I don't know if the economy's helping or hurting it, but it's still a pretty cheap sport to participate in. It doesn't take much money to train; just a good pair of shoes."
Radley believes the marathon helps the Great Race, and vice versa.
"Sometimes the more races you have, the better quality you have — and the better event you can produce knowing that the runners will come out," Radley said.
Source
Mike Radley, director of the Richard S. Caliguiri Great Race, knew there was a chance the largest field ever would line up today for the annual event.
When registration closed at 5 p.m. Saturday, 12,789 people had registered for the Great Race 10K and 5K, just 18 shy of the record of 12,807 set in 1987, making it the second-largest field ever in the 32nd running of the race.
That's enough to make him happy.
"Registration is through the ceiling," Radley said. "We're pleased, and we're excited to have so many runners and walkers joining us."
Pittsburgh might not be considered a running mecca, but there's no arguing the sport is surging in the city.
This is the third straight year that total participation has gone up after dropping earlier this decade, then leveling off at around 7,500 from 2004 to 2006. Last year's field was 11,593.
The original Pittsburgh marathon ran for 19 years but was shelved because of lack of money after the 2003 race. Registration hit an all-time high of 6,419 for that race.
When organizers announced the marathon would return in 2009, they hoped to attract 3,500 participants. They were shocked when more than 7,000 registered by early March, two months before the race, and they capped registration.
A record 9,482 finished the marathon, half-marathon and relay.
The numbers reinforce the interest Kevin Smith sees as owner of Elite Runners and Walkers store in Robinson.
"We're having our best year ever," he said. "This is coming off a time when we closed another store a year ago. Then 2008 was an increase over any other year, and this year there's a huge increase over that."
What strikes Smith is the number of people picking up the sport.
"It's not just the hardcore runners getting back into it, it's people you'd look at ... people like myself," Smith said. "I'm 6-foot-3 and 250 pounds. It's people who just want to get fit, and running is a great way to do it.
"It's fun, it's social and it's that social element that's drawing people in."
Liz Kennon, who heads Pittsburgh Sports League Running Club, said the number of people coming for weekly runs spiked in the months before the marathon. Although the number has since declined, it's higher than a year ago. An even greater number of people seek information about the group, she said.
In addition to the big races, smaller events are getting more participants, Kennon said. The Steelers 5K at the end of August drew a record crowd of 3,013, up from 2,068 the year before.
"Every race I've been to recently has been the biggest it's ever been," Kennon said. "There's been a huge increase in local races."
Bruce McGlothlin, president of the Greater Pittsburgh Road Runners Club for 25 years, said membership remains small but steady. Although he notices more people in their 20s and 30s taking an interest in running, particularly women, he wouldn't classify Pittsburgh as a racing city.
"Some people, they run the Great Race and that's it," McGlothlin said. "They're not interested in racing and running. You do see a lot of young kids and college kids running, but I don't think it's considered a running city, except for the Great Race and the marathon."
Still, the sport is healthy.
"It's not dying," said Mark Courtney, who said participation in Courtney's Ice Cream Race 5K, the annual race he directs in Grove City, increased about 15 percent this year. "I don't know if the economy's helping or hurting it, but it's still a pretty cheap sport to participate in. It doesn't take much money to train; just a good pair of shoes."
Radley believes the marathon helps the Great Race, and vice versa.
"Sometimes the more races you have, the better quality you have — and the better event you can produce knowing that the runners will come out," Radley said. Source Trib Live Sports
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