Burt Trembly has been involved with the Duke City Marathon since 1997, helping the event grow in size and stature. He answered my usual questions.
Hello, on October 18th 2009, you’ll be organizing the Duke City Marathon . Can you tell us where it is located?
The Duke City Marathon will take place in Downtown Albuquerque, NM at Civic Plaza.
This will be the 26th edition of the race. Why was it created in the first place?
The Duke City Marathon was created to provide a premiere running event for Albuquerque and the State of New Mexico; both as a Marathon, and additional running/walking events.
What kind of route have you set up for the runners? How would you describe it?
The course is set along the Paseo del Bosque Bike trail that parallels the Rio Grande River. This is a very scenic course that stays flat and makes for some fast times. The course is USA Track and Field Certified as well as a qualifier for the Boston Marathon.
How many runners do you expect on Sunday morning? What type of runners do you plan to attract?
With six different races this event attracts runners from every skill level and age bracket.
Do you organize other races during the Week-End? If so, on what distances?
Apart from the marathon, we organize 5 races : Half Marathon Run, Half Marathon Walk, 5k Run, 5K Walk and Marathon Relay
At that time of the year, what kind of weather can we expect?
The event is held in late October with an average high of 67°F (18°C) and an average low of 40°F (4°C).
Have you planned festivities around the marathon?
Every year the Duke City Marathon hosts a pre-race family health expo and packet pick-up, called the Defined FitFest, to kick off the event. The Defined FitFest and packet pick-up will take place on October 17th, 2009 in downtown Albuquerque. Event includes demonstrations, workshops, fitness classes and last minute registration.
On Sunday during the Duke City Marathon running and walking events, there will be post race festivities on civic plaza, which include a climbing wall and entertainment on stage. Last year over 10,000 people were in attendance at the events and 4,250 were registered for the races!!!
The marathon finished, what advice would you give a runner who has never been to Albuquerque before? A good restaurant, a fancy sightseeing?
Albuquerque is known for its outstanding New Mexican food, which is similar to Mexican food, with its own twist. We would certainly recommend the green chile cheeseburgers at Blake’s Lotaburger! With the event being downtown, visitors are very close to Albuquerque’s Old Town district, which has hundreds of small shops and restaurants, all with distinct New Mexican flavor.
In a single sentence, what would you tell the readers of 42k195 to make them register for the Duke City Marathon?
In addition to visiting beautiful New Mexico to run in an historical race, participants also help the New Mexico Cancer Center Foundation.
Thank you Burt.
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