May 1, 2008

Congratulations: We are completely sold out!! We will have 650 marathon runners, 180 relay teams=720 runners, and 230 Ten Milers in our fifth annual event,. the May 18, 2008 Christiana Care Health System Delaware Marathon Running Festival presented by New Balance Delaware. Plus we will have roughly 750 local children participating in our Run 1, 4 Fun! on Saturday at Noon. All events take place outside Frawley Stadium on the Wilmington Riverfront. Look for our large tents and banners.

If you haven’t already done so, please take a moment to verify your information on our website. While the event programs have gone to print, we can still make changes to your registration data before race day. www.races2run.com/marathon

Packet Pickup will open Saturday, May 17 at 11:00 am and will continue until 5:30 pm. We strongly suggest you come on Saturday to pick up your race packet. Relay Teams: we will release all 4 race packets to the first member of your team that arrives at Packet Pickup. We will not release individual relay packets. Packet Pickup will re-open on Sunday at 5:45 am.

Please plan to bring your “used but not abused” size 7 and larger athletic shoes to our Registration Tent. Perpetual Prosperity Pumps Foundation helps to adopt African families by providing them with ¼ acre of farm land, 100 trees, livestock, wells and irrigation systems AND every 150 shoes saves 12 acres of rainforest, due to sustainable farming! Save acres of rainforest, irrigate 100s of village farms in Africa and help a family gain financial stability by donating your running shoes! For more information check www.pppafrica.org or email Deborah.Dierickx@supervalu.com

Got 2 Many T’s? Of course you do! The Ministry of Caring would love to relieve you of your surplus. They give them to homeless Delawareans who visit their Samaritan Outreach Center for a shower and a change of clothes. Your extra tee shirt will go to someone truly in need. Now, isn't that a good way to solve the problem? So, bring your extra tee shirts to the Delaware Marathon and look for signs saying "2 Many T's." Deposit them in the boxes you find there. Visit www.ministryofcaring.org or email betty@olmstead.net.

Brightroom will be on site to take runner photos at the Delaware Marathon. Please take a moment to pre-register your bib # and they will email you a link to your race photos when they are ready. Your bib # is displayed on our website under Participant listings. www.brightroom.com/view_event.asp?EVENTID=30055

The following vendors will be on site during Delaware Marathon weekend: National Running Center will be selling their discounted race clothing and shoes and Kavanaugh Enterprises will be selling XS energy and sport drinks and other supplements. It is not too late to be a race vendor – we have plenty of space – so call or email us.

New Balance Delaware will be here selling the officially branded Delaware Marathon New Balance running clothing line. Also available for sale online CLICK HERE or at their Delaware retail stores located in the Brandywine Town Center and Christiana Mall. (302) 230-3068 or (800) 401-4752
Our NOT FOR RUNNERS ONLY Pre-Race Carb Party will be held at Catherine Rooney's Irish Pub and CR Hooligans Sports Bar on Saturday, May 17, 2008. “Team in Training" will hold a private party from 3:00 pm until 5:00 pm at CR Hooligans and we will officially open the doors for the pasta party at Catherine Rooney’s at 5:00 pm. $15 payment at the door. Both restaurants are located at 1616 Delaware Avenue in the Trolley Square neighborhood of Wilmington, about two miles from downtown. We have a Christiana Care shuttle to bring our downtown hotel guests to and from the pasta party. WE NEED YOUR RSVP NOW!!! Also, e-mail us if you need a ride on the pasta shuttle.

New for 2008: The Delaware Marathon has teamed with the Wilmington Grand Prix pro/amateur bicycle races to promote a full "Weekend of Racing" in downtown Wilmington. Registered Delaware Marathon runners can gain free entry into their kick-off block party on Friday evening and watch pro and amateur cycling races on Friday evening and Saturday while still participating in all the Delaware Marathon activities on Saturday and Sunday. Go to www.wilmgrandprix.com for info.
Where: The Plaza at City Center {on Tatnall Street between 10th & 11th Streets}
When: May 16, 5-9pm
What: Wilmington Grand Prix Outdoor Block Party featuring Live Music by THE SNAP and Food by Area Restaurants
Prime Viewing of the Grand Prix Time Trial (6-7:30pm)
Tickets: $5 (complimentary admission for runners registered for the Delaware Marathon)
Don’t forget to RSVP us if you need to use our race day hotel shuttle or if you plan to attend our past party.
Enjoy your taper, marathoners. Only 15 days until race day!


April 20, 2008

Thank you for your interest in the 2008 Delaware Marathon Running Festival. Due to unprecedented demand, we have closed the online registration for the marathon, relay, and the ten miler. If you are interested in still registering for this year’s event, please check back to this web page. If any registration slots remain, we will post instructions here.
Also, our race day event program goes to print at the end of the month. If you have any changes to make to your registration information, please email them to jschiller@artisansbank.com. Also, don’t forget to RSVP your reservations for our pre race NOT FOR RUNNERS ONLY CARB PARTY or our race day hotel shuttle.

Due to the Wilmington University graduation on marathon Sunday at the Chase Center, the CCHS Health Expo has been deferred until next year. Please plan to visit our race day vendors: National Running Center, New Balance Delaware, Kavanaugh Enterprises, and more. Also, don’t forget to bring your used-not abused running shoes and your unneeded t-shirts on race weekend as we will be collecting them for charity. More about all of this in our IMPORTANT INFO emails which will be sent at the beginning of May.


March 15, 2008

Due to the unfortunate closing of Costa’s, our “Not for Runners Only”, Pre-Race Carb Party will be hosted by our good friends at Catherine Rooney's Irish Pub at 1616 Delaware Avenue in the Trolley Square section of Wilmington (302-654-9700).  Please help us celebrate our fifth anniversary with our hosts: the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training Program and Delaware’s Pike Creek Valley Running Club. Date: Saturday, May 17, 2008; Time: 5:00 pm until 7:00 pm.   NOTE: the Team in Training pre-race party will precede the Pre-Race carb party from 3:30 pm until 5:00 pm.   Details and directions will be posted on the website.  

Also, we are pleased to announce that we have selected a brand new logo design by Mark Deshon of Deshon & Associates Graphic Design for the 2008 New Balance technical shirts that all runners will receive.  Bold and colorful, we think you’ll love the new design as much as we do!!  It will be unveiled during race weekend.  

February 1, 2008

New for 2008: The officially licensed Delaware Marathon New Balance clothing is now available online.  Check out the six styles selected at their Marathon Clothing link.  Also, don't forget to visit their retail stores at: Brandywine Town Center on Concord Pike (302) 230-3065, and 113 Christiana Mall (302) 366-7516. They carry shoes in 6 widths and 19 sizes as well as a full range of high performance running gear. New Balance Delaware will also be at the Delaware Marathon selling their clothing and shoes.  Happy running!

We are pleased to announce that Subway has agreed to join our roster of menu items provided to our runners and volunteers.  Runners, you’ll be enjoying delicious samples from their FRESH FIT sandwich options, such as their Veggie Delight, Turkey Breast, and  Black Forrest Ham.  Don’t forget to visit their locations weekdays at 225 N. Market Street in Wilmington (302) 571-8090; 222 Delaware Avenue, (Suite 1 - Tatnall Street) in Wilmington (302) 777-0176; and 4495 Summit Bridge Road in Middletown (302) 378-5071.  Remember, Subway: EAT FRESH!  

Pre and post race massages will be available to participants of the Delaware Marathon by members of the Delaware Chapter of the American Massage Therapy Association.  $1 per minute donations are welcomed, of course, to cover the costs of their bringing their own tables and mats.  Massages will also be available for non-participants for a small fee. 

December 15, 2007

New for 2008: The Delaware Marathon is forging an alliance with the Wilmington Grand Prix pro/amateur bicycle races to promote a full "Weekend of Fitness" in the City of Wilmington.  Now you’ll be able to watch pro and amateur bicycling races in downtown Wilmington on Friday evening and Saturday during the day and still participate in all the Delaware Marathon activities.  For more info on the Wilmington Grand Prix, including how to participate in the area’s largest bike parade, go to: www.wilmgrandprix.com

November 1, 2007

We are pleased to announce the addition of a presenting sponsor, New Balance Delaware, who will supply New Balance technical race shirts to all the participants.  Check back as we will be offering official Delaware Marathon New Balance clothing for sale via the web in the near future.

The Delaware Marathon running festival will include a (free to the public) Christiana Care Health Expo, the popular Run 1, 4 Fun! one-mile, family friendly, fun run; a running vendor exposition; music and entertainment on two stages; a tented, seated hospitality garden; and a Not For Runners Only pre-race Carb Party with our friends at Team In Training at Costa’s Grill & Wine Bar. 

You may also sign up now for our 4-Person Marathon Relay and our Bell Supply Ten Mile Race by using Active.com or our race pdf.

October 1, 2007

Registration is now open for the 5th Annual Christiana Care Health System Delaware Marathon, 4-Person Marathon Relay, and the Bell Supply Ten Mile Race on Sunday, May 18, 2008.  More than 1,500 runners from all fifty states are expected to compete in Delaware’s largest (and oldest) marathon festival, which has sold out its last three years. To register via credit card, use Active.com.  Or print/mail our application form at:

www.races2run.com/marathon/PDFfiles/2008/DEM08Application.pdf

To help celebrate our fifth anniversary, cash awards of $250, $200 and $100 will be presented to the top three male and female marathon winners and $200, and $100 will be given to the top two male and female masters (over 40) winners. The top relay team will also share a $200 cash award.  An additional $500 will be given if the event record for the fastest male or female marathon ever run in Delaware is set. These records are 2:27:49 by Michael Wardian of VA at our 2005 Delaware Marathon and 2:59:24 by Feng Sun of MD at our 2006 Delaware Marathon.  This cash award will be doubled to $1000 if a Delaware resident sets the Delaware marathon record at our event. Furthermore, $25 cash awards will be issued to those (M&F) runners who set an event record by representing their home state. Go to Top Finishers By State for these records.      

2008 beneficiaries will include The Center for Heart & Vascular Health at Christiana Care; the YMCA of Delaware’s Strong Kids Campaign; and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training program.  The Delaware Marathon has donated over $45,000 to charity in its first four years.    

August 15, 2007

We finally have our 2008 date confirmed: Sunday May 18, 2008.  Thank You to the Wilmington Blue Rocks and the Wilmington Riverfront who worked with us to arrange the date we wanted for the 2008 Delaware Marathon.  And of course, a big THANK YOU to Christiana Care Health System who is returning as our title sponsor.     

It will be our fifth anniversary in 2008.  We have some very special things planned, so please check back with us as we announce some new partnerships and some other exciting news for our participants and spectators.