Dave Cooley, the director of the Baltimore Running Festival, heard too many complaints about too many hills and traffic tie-ups after last year's inaugural event.
It's pure coincidence that nearly every step of the flatter - and presumably faster - course charts a city trying to reinvent itself. From the start near Camden Station to an abandoned district police station being refitted for office space to a bleak stretch of Washington Street waiting to be turned into a biotech park, the do-over for tomorrow's marathon offers dozens of glimpses of reclamation, renovation and building from scratch.
"I'd like to say I was smart enough to think along those lines," Cooley said. "We were just looking for something that was functional, but this is truly more of an urban marathon."
Other than a mile in Druid Hill Park, a four-mile stretch from the Inner Harbor through Patterson Park, and three miles down Howard Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in the closing stages, Baltimore's Comcast Marathon bears little resemblance to last year's event.
The 2001 test had approximately 6,600 entrants and more than 4,800 finishers. The marathon field tomorrow will be below 3,000.
Cooley says there's a segment that samples a marathon and then moves on, but he listened to veterans trying to post a qualifying time for the Boston Marathon, and to novices. The consensus among both was for a kinder, gentler course.
Some of the lost marathon numbers will be alleviated by an increased turnout for the simultaneous Geico Direct Team Relay, which has more than 500 four-person teams registered. The three exchange points all carry reminders of renewal of some sort.
The 6.4-mile mark comes as Falls Road deposits on to Maryland Avenue, a block shy of the cranes that linger over the renovation of Charles Street near Pennsylvania Station. Leg 2 finishes at the Maryland Science Center, south of a symbol of a fresh start, Harborplace. The final relay exchange comes in Patterson Park, down the hill from its made-over pagoda.
It seems as if everyone from grass-roots coalitions to developers whispered in Cooley's ear.
Office buildings on Paca and St. Paul streets are being converted into apartments. On McComas Street, along mile 12, sit two new warehouse stores, the only ones in the city. When runners turned onto Boston Street last year, they had a clear view of the water. Now, new townhomes are being constructed there. In Clifton Park, the former residence of Johns Hopkins is due to be spruced up. Up the hill, City College is enjoying a renaissance.
The final mile begins on MLK Boulevard, where townhomes rose on the site where a federal high-rise was demolished in 1996.
Gone is the gorgeous descent down Roland Avenue and University Parkway, but with it went the climb up Walther Avenue and Northern Parkway. Neighborhoods on the north and northeast side are neglected, but South Baltimore felt that way last year. Hills were traded for row homes, but in some areas, gentrification is just a rumor.
The start at Pratt and Paca streets is just north of Camden Station, where the interior will be renovated by the Maryland Stadium Authority. The first three miles, the majority on McCulloh Street, are pretty much uphill to a peak elevation of 240 feet, and rookies would do well to heed the first half of Bay area running legend Walt Stack's credo: Start slowly and taper off.
After passing through Druid Hill Park, the race heads into Hampden. Kenyans Erick Kimayo and Charles Njeru, and then defending women's champion Elvira Kolpakova, will turn west on to 34th Street. Bring the kids back in two months, when the block and its Christmas lights become one of Baltimore's favorite holiday destinations.
The course winds down Falls Road, past abandoned mills and warehouses that have been turned into artists' lofts. It heads south for nearly six miles, down St. Paul, Light and Hanover to a turnaround past the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge.
Conditions are supposed to be overcast and in the 50s, fine for marathoning. On warmer days, you can catch locals crabbing and fishing off what used to be called the Hanover Street Bridge. It has the best views on the course, the skyline to the north and the middle branch of the Patapsco River to the east.
Industrial parks lead to Key Highway and the midway point of the 26.2-mile test, past Webster Street. There's a pass between Federal Hill and Rash Field - an accessible possibility for spectators - then a return to the Inner Harbor and on to Little Italy, Fells Point, Canton and Highlandtown, a swing that came early in last year's race.
Volunteers at the 19th mile marker will wear jerseys bearing that number. The touch memorializes the late John Unitas, and also provides a diversion on Washington Street, a corridor that's supposed to get a biotech park. Some blocks to the north have more boarded up fronts than residences, and runners will have to find inspiration on their own as they approach the wall at mile 20.
The second and final substantial climb, one that tops out at a little more than 200 feet, takes them up The Alameda to 33rd Street, where it's a year too late to find traces of Memorial Stadium. The Victorian fronts in Charles Village begin the turn south toward the biggest improvement to the course.
It isn't the topography, but the closing half mile down Eutaw Street, between Oriole Park and the Camden Yards warehouse. Last year's layout defied family and friends to find runners down the stretch. Tomorrow, they'll be able to spread out on that "spine" and provide encouragement at the end.
NOTES: The marathon field lost two of its elite recruits when Lithuanians Tomas Pernarvicius and Martynas Drelingas were unable to secure visas. ... As of noon yesterday, the festival had 6,400 entrants. Late registration will be accepted today at Ravens Stadium for the marathon, team relay, Fila 5K and Citi Financial Kids Fun Run. ... Fila's Josh Cox, the top American at the 2001 race championships, will do commentary on WBAL-TV's telecast.
Street closures
Street closures for tomorrow's Baltimore Marathon:
Corner of Paca and Pratt, 5:30 a.m.-9 a.m.
Camden Street, Eutaw Street, 7 a.m.-3:15 p.m.
Russell Street, Pratt Street, 7:15 a.m.-8:45 a.m.
Paca Street, 7:45 a.m.-8:45 a.m.
McCulloh Street to North Avenue, 7:50 a.m.-8:45 a.m.
McCulloh north of North Avenue to Auchentoroly, 8 a.m.-9 a.m.
All streets used for the marathon in Druid Hill Park, 8 a.m.-9:15 a.m.
Keswick Street, 34th Street, 8:15 a.m.-9:15 a.m.
Falls Road, 8:20 a.m.-10 a.m.
Maryland Avenue (park buses on bridge for relay drop-off and return), 8:15 a.m. to 10 a.m.
St. Paul Street, 8:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m.
Montgomery Street, 8:40 a.m.-10:40 a.m.
Hanover Street to Waterview back onto Hanover Street, 8:40 a.m.-11:15 a.m.
East Cromwell Street/McComas Street to halfway point on Key Highway (13.1 miles), 8:50 a.m.-11:30 a.m.
Key Highway beyond halfway point to Light Street, 9 a.m.-noon.
Pratt Street east of Light Street to President Street to Eastern Avenue, 9 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
Eastern Avenue to Chester to Boston Street, 9:10 a.m.-12:45 p.m.
Linwood Avenue, 9:15 a.m.-1 p.m.
Elwood Avenue from Boston to Foster, 9:15 a.m.-1 p.m.
Foster Avenue, 9:15 a.m.-1 p.m.
Madison Street, 9:20 a.m.-1:20 p.m.
Washington Street to Saint Lo Drive to The Alameda on Harford Road, 9:25 a.m.-1:50 p.m.
Saint Lo from Sinclair to Harford Road - running left side
The Alameda to 33rd Street, 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m.-running left side
33rd Street, 9:35 a.m.-2:15 p.m.-running left side
Guilford Avenue to 29th to Howard streets, 9:40 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Howard Street to Preston Street, 9:45 a.m.-2:40 p.m.
Preston Street to Eutaw to MLK, 9:50 a.m.-2:50 p.m.
MLK (running left side) to Lombard Street to Eutaw Street, 9:55 a.m.-3 p.m.
Eutaw to Lee streets, 10:10 a.m.-3:15 p.m.
At a glance
What: Baltimore Running Festival
When: Tomorrow. Marathon and marathon team relay at 8 a.m.; 5K at 8:30 a.m.; Kids Fun Run at 9:20 a.m.
Where: Start and finish at staging area between Oriole Park and Ravens Stadium.
Entrants: About 2,800 for marathon; 7,000 anticipated for all four events.
TV: Ch. 11 (6-11 a.m.)
Information: All races remain open. Call 410-605-9381 or 800-487-0670, or visit the Internet site thebaltimoremarathon.com
Runners to watch tomorrow
Race director Dave Cooley and elite athlete coordinator Clay Shaw helped The Sun scout some of the top talent at tomorrow's Baltimore Running Festival.
Chris Chattin:The top state finisher last year, Chattin had to back off his training. He'll join Dave Berardi, Craig Morrell and Joel Brusewitz on Falls Road Running, which will contend in the team relay.
Chokri Dhoudi:A 29-year-old from Tunisia with 2:14 potential who now makes his home in Albuquerque, Dhoudi won in New Mexico last month.
Lee DiPietro:Better known as a triathlete, the 44-year-old from Ruxton has a personal best of 2:47 and should top the masters women.
Yousef Ennaciri:A 22-year-old Moroccan who now makes his home in Baltimore, Ennaciri has done well on the local circuit and could contend in the Fila 5K.
Autumn Fogg:The 2001 Big East Conference champion in the 1,500 meters at Georgetown, Fogg will challenge Kenyan Hannah Njeri in the women's 5K.
Erick Kimayo:A headliner brought in by Fila, he has the best credentials in the festival. Kimayo broke 2:09 twice in 1997, when he was ranked 10th in the world. His last marathon was in Sao Paulo, Brazil in July 2001, when he finished second in 2:14:31.
Elvira Kolpakova:The defending women's champion is one of the premier ultra-marathoners in the world. The week after she won here in 2:52:08, Kolpakova went to Connecticut and took the Mystic Marathon.
Denise Knickman:Knickman, 34, a physical therapist at Union Memorial's sports medicine clinic, is a familiar face with a personal best of 2:47:26.
Olga Nikolaeva:Nikolaeva is among a group of transplanted Russians who train in Gainesville, Fla. The 28-year-old has a personal best of 2:46 and has run a half-marathon in 1:14.
Sergey Nochevny:A 33-year-old Russian, Nochevny ran 2:16:01 in Moscow three years ago.
Charles Njeru:An up-and-coming 20-year-old from Kenya, Njeru finished third in Austin in 2:17:03.
Amy Pyles:A former Shippensburg State standout, Pyles will make her marathon debut after winning the Harrisburg half-marathon last month.