JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The countdown to the Gate River Run is on, with big changes to the course and a much bigger payout for the winners headlining the 49th version of the iconic race.
The most notable changes for the March 7 run are the beginning and end of the race. Construction on the Stadium of the Future and surrounding areas will shake things up from how runners remember. The race will start on Duval Street in front of the Jacksonville Fairgrounds and finish on A. Phillip Randolph Blvd. by 121 Financial Ballpark.
The start line had been on Gator Bowl Blvd. the last three years, with the finish line at the base of the Green Monster, the Hart Bridge.
Spots are still open for registration, but runners should plan to get them quickly. The race has sold out the last two years.
“Due to major construction of a new Jaguars stadium, the Gate River Run course will be impacted particularly with new start and finish locations,” said race director Doug Alred. “While the majority of the course showcasing scenic Jacksonville neighborhoods and two spectacular bridges will remain the same, participants should expect some changes for the start and finish.”
The other big change comes in payout. The overall prize money is climbing from $62,000 to $77,000 this year, another jump after the River Run joined the prestigious Professional Road Running Organization last year. That caveat helped boost the elite runners in the field since the Gate is open to both US and international athletes. In last year’s race, Wesley Kiptoo broke the 30-year-old record of Todd Williams by running a 42:10. Williams held the mark of 42:22 since 1995.
Runners will again go off in five waves starting from the elite runners (top 250 seeds), the top 3,800 followed by the next three waves of runners right down to the walkers. The event also draws a bevy of athletes who compete in the chair divisions like handcycles and wheelchairs. The first gun time is 7:50 a.m. for adaptive athletes and the race’s streakers (runners who have competed in the previous 48 events). The final wave start time is 8:15.
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