Entries for the city marathon closed at a record figure, prompting organisers to add a second start wave and to revise the closing three kilometres of the course to ease congestion on the approach to the finish.
The entry list is up by roughly a fifth on last year, with the largest increase among first time marathon runners. Organisers attributed the growth partly to the introduction of a charity ballot that opened places outside the standard entry window.
Course changes
The revised route keeps the first thirty nine kilometres unchanged and alters the final approach, replacing a narrow section along the river with a wider avenue. The finish line moves roughly four hundred metres from its previous position.
Organisers said the change was made for flow rather than for time, though the new closing section is marginally flatter. The course retains its certification and records set on it remain valid.
The old finish worked for eight thousand runners. It does not work for this many, and we would rather change it than manage the consequences.
Elite field
The elite field includes four athletes with personal bests inside the course record, and the organisers have set a pacing target intended to bring that record into range in favourable conditions.
Road closures will run longer than in previous years to accommodate the second wave. A detailed closure schedule has been published for residents and businesses along the route.
