Greetings from chilly Scranton!
This week's update focuses on the subjects for which we get the most questions from nervous runners - race day transportation and parking.
Race Day Transportation:
Here is the most important thing you need to know: WE DO NOT PROVIDE RETURN TRANSPORTATION TO THE STARTING LINE AFTER THE RACE!!! Therefore, DO NOT leave your car, truck, SUV, motorcycle, dromedary or rickshaw in Forest City. If you do, when you cross the finish line in Scranton, you will be stranded there forever! The courthouse pigeons will be your only friends.
The vast majority of our runners ride one of our free school buses to the starting line. Some have a friend or family member drop them off at the starting line. Still others wake up in their hotel room at 8:15 a.m. and scream hysterically.
Buses leave from the corner of N. Washington Avenue and Lackawanna Avenue in Downtown Scranton, one block from the finish line. The first bus leaves at 5:30 a.m. The last bus leaves at 6:45 a.m. As buses fill, we send them. The trip takes approximately 45 minutes.
We will have port-a-lavs at the finish line for those of you who are so nervous you can't make the 45 minute ride without peeing.
If someone drops you off at the starting line, they CAN stay and watch the start, BUT, they will not be able to leave on the roads they probably took to get you there. Those roads will be closed for the race. They will need to use a somewhat complicated escape route to get out of Forest City. The escape route can be found on the following page of our Web site: http://www.steamtownmarathon.com/2.2.html.
Note: if they drop you off and leave Forest City right away, they will be able to use the roads they took to get you there.
If you did not indicate on your entry form that you planned to use the bus, no problem, just hop on board. You do not need to show a bib number to ride a bus. However, only registered runners are allowed on the buses. Friends and family who ride a bus to Forest City will be stranded in Forest City - and the pigeons are a lot meaner there.
Parking:
Downtown Map- Your confirmation packet will contain a map of downtown showing the locations of the finish line, bus pick up, parking garages and street parking areas. The downtown map on our Web site is in color, so you may want to print that for ease of use. http://www.steamtownmarathon.com/4.4.html
Parking Garages - There is a parking garage located 1/2 block from the finish line where you can park for free. The entrance to the garage is located on Linden Street, between Wyoming and N. Washington Avenues. Note: the elevator in the building is not operational on Sundays (apparently the hamsters need to rest), so you'll be walking up stairs after the race.
There are two pay to park garages located on Adams Avenue between Lackawanna Avenue and Spruce Street. The advantage to these garages is that you can get in and out without having to cross the race route. Plus, the hamsters work on Sunday. Here is a link to the Scranton Parking Authority Web site: http://www.scrantonparking.com/index.html
Street Parking - you can park for free on race day at any meter that does not have a no parking sign on it. However, do not park in handicapped zones, in fire lanes, or on sidewalks. If you do, you will be towed. Basically, use common sense. Refer to the downtown map for parking locations.
Remember Where You Park - Every year runners cross the finish line and forget where they parked. Sample conversation:
Exhausted Runner: "Greetings helpful race official. I can't remember where I parked my car. Can you please help me?
Helpful Race Official: "Salutations lost runner. What do you remember about where you parked?"
Exhausted Runner: "Well, I parked at a meter by a curb and a building and I remember that there was a traffic light at the end of the block. Does that help?"
Helpful Race Official - "Do you like pigeons?"
PLEASE be aware of your surroundings and remember the name of the street where you park. Consider putting an X on your downtown map and sticking the map in the bag of crapola you check with the nice ladies at the starting line.
That's all for now - hey, that's enough.
Sincerely,
Jim Cummings
Asst. Race Director
Here is this week's cool video: http://youtu.be/V-xuJeQ04Bw
