Detroit marathon sells out 3 months before the race

To the surprise of organizers and runners alike, theDetroit Free Press Marathon 2024 has sold out, almost three months ahead of race day.

The full marathon and the international half-marathon are full but the running enthusiastsstill have a chance to register for the marathon relay and the international half-marathon wait list.

The international marathon crosses the international border through Detroit to Windsor, Ont.,and heads back to Detroit.

Aaron Velthoven, vice president and race director of the Detroit Free Press Marathon, said it is the first time that they have sold out before the international deadline.

"We sold out our marathon race, the 26.2-mile race, last weekand then just yesterdaywe sold out our international half marathon 15.1 (-mile)race. So this is the first time in our 47-year history that we've sold out both racesbefore our international deadline date," he said.

Velthoven said there could be a couple of reasons for this early sell-out.

"We did acompletely revamped marathon course back in 2022 when we became international again after the pandemic and we've got a lot of great feedback on that course," he said.

"We're a very unique race here in Detroit and Windsor. We're the only marathon in the world that crosses twointernational border crossings on the course. So this is really a bucket list race for marathoners across the world to come here and experience something that they can't experience anywhere else."

Velthoven also pointed to the growing popularity of the sport.

"We do know that more people are running and a lot of people have taken to the sportsince the pandemic. You know, when things were locked down, people chose to get outside and run," he said.

There are 5,100 participantswho have registered for the marathon and over 13,000 for the international half marathon, Velthoven said.

More than 26,000 participants are expected to participate in different races during the marathon weekend from Oct. 18 to Oct. 20, he said.

Mark Gryn, a marathon runner for two decades now, said he was surprised to know the marathon sold out so early this time.

"I think it normally sells out in September for the October marathon. So when I got the email last week or something saying it was sold out, I was very surprised," he said.

"I was thinking maybe it's the Olympics maybe people are seeing that the Olympics are coming. Maybe that's getting them in the mood for exercise and so... more people are out running and and maybe signing up for that marathon ahead of time,"Gryn said.

Over the years, the course of the marathon has changed a number of times and Gryn said that he is gladthat the Belle Isle,which has always been a windy part of the marathon, has been taken out.

Teena Ireland is theadminof the 519 Runners& Walkers group on a social media platform.Sheregisters for the marathonevery year on Jan. 1.

"It's really strange because I've been doing this marathon since 2007 and I have never seen it go to this capacity," she said.

Ireland said she feels this could be because many people are now running. And that there are many running groups in Windsor and Detroit who are making the marathon popular.

For the first time this year,there is a small group of 100 pro-marathoners and half-marathoners that are going to compete in the race this year, Velthoven said.

Looking at the response this year, organizersare hoping they cancontinue to increase capacity in the coming years, so that everyone can get an opportunity to experience the marathon, he said.