Runners from seven countries and 45 states have signed up for Sunday’s Vancouver USA Marathon races.
About 1,000 have registered to run the full marathon and some 2,100 have signed up for the half marathon, according to race director Brian Davis of Energy Events.
There is no registration on Sunday. The last chance to register is at the Vancouver USA Marathon Active Expo, which takes place Friday and Saturday at Esther Short Park. Open 2 to 7 p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, the expo is the place for participants to check in and pick up their race packet.
Among the countries represented are Germany, the Netherlands and Norway, Davis said.
Youssef Zirari of Vancouver, who has won the marathon the past two years, is expected to run.
New this year are cash prizes for the top finishers. In the marathon, the winning man and winning woman will receive $500, the runners-up $200 and the third finishers $100. For the half marathon, the wining man and woman each receive $250, second place $100 and third place $50.
The $2,400 prize purse is being paid for by GrindStone Collection Strategies, a business which has offices in Vancouver and in Chandler, Ariz. Local triathlete Josh Monda oversees Grindstone’s Vancouver office.
Monda said the prize purse is a way to support the local running community, and support an event that has earned recognition such as being tabbed as one of the 10 most fun-filled marathons in America by Runners World magazine.
The largest field in the first three years of the Vancouver USA Marathon was for the inaugural event in 2011 when 800 completed the marathon and 1,427 finished the half marathon.
Registration prices now are $125 for the marathon and $95 for the half marathon.
The Freedom 5K, a 3.1-mile community fun run, starts from Esther Short Park at 10 a.m. on Saturday and costs $45. The Kids VUM Marathon, a 1.2-mile timed race for ages 5-12, takes place at 11 a.m. on Saturday and costs $25.
Davis said volunteers are still welcome for some of the weekend activities. He said water stations and other jobs critical to the race have enough volunteers, but that there is always room for more.
For the second year in a row, Energy Events is staging its Summer Brewfest at Esther Short Park in conjunction with the marathon weekend. Marathon and half marathon participants receive admission to the brewfest.
For more information and to see a map of the course visit www.vancouverusamarathon.com.
