Whistler roads and by-ways will be busy this weekend as approximately 800 runners lace up their joggers for the 2011 Whistler Half-Marathon.
The race is 21.1 kilometres long with participants raising money for the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of Canada. The half-marathon starts at Celebration Plaza in Whistler Village and takes a long route along Lorimer Road to Crabapple Drive, Lakeside Park, Rainbow Park and Spruce Grove Park before it ends up back at the plaza.
Spectators who are interested in watching the race can do it from any of five locations along the route. You can watch the runners cross the Finish Line at Celebration Plaza or else watch them zip past you at Fitzsimmons Road south near Lorimer Road and at Lorimer Road where it meets the Sea to Sky Highway.
Other prime locations for watching the race include the bottom of Blueberry Hill where it meets St. Anton Way, where the Valley Trail comes out of Alta Vista; at Village Square; at Spruce Grove Park where the runners will experience a big turnaround; at Austria Passivhaus in Lost Lake Park and at the turnaround at Rainbow Park.
The night before the Half-Marathon, the Whistler Brewhouse is hosting a "carbo load" dinner that costs $30. The restaurant will have a buffet of housemade pasta, salad and artisan breads to help fill up runners on race day.
The night of Half-Marathon Day, North Face is hosting an Athlete Celebration at its location in Whistler Village. Capacity is 100 people so anyone wishing to attend is asked to RSVP at www.whistlerhalfmarathon.com.
