Windsor runners ready to put best foot forward as Freep marathon returns

The Detroit Free Press International Marathon returns. It's been two years since runners have been able to cross the border into Windsor, because of the pandemic.

"It is one of those races that isa bucket list item for people all over the world to be able to cross a border, run into a foreign land and cross back," said Chris Uszynski, who will be helping to coordinate the event on this side of the border.

The race will take a new route in Detroit this year and for the first time since the pandemic, will cross into Windsor over the Ambassador Bridge, continue along Riverside Drive and then cross back to Detroit via the Windsor-Detroit Tunnel.

"We've opened many of the major roadways into the downtown area with this new course. Spectators and runners heading into the city on race morning will be able to access areas of our course like never before," said Aaron Velthoven, executive producer of the marathon.

According to the Detroit Free Press Marathonpress release, highlights of the new route in Detroit include:

• A significantly updated route through greater downtown Detroit, including passage
  through District Detroit, Midtown and Woodbridge.
• The addition of Eastern Market to the course for the first time in the race's history,
  including a run down Russell Street.
• The new inclusion of the Dequindre Cut, the popular greenway that connects Eastern
  Market and the eastern Detroit Riverfront.
• A new finish line on Woodward Avenue at the foot of Campus Martius. Post-race
  activities, including the Conquered afterparty, will be held at Campus Martius and the
  adjoining Cadillac Square.

Runner Josh Zilles, a University of Windsor grad student in human kinetics will try the half marathon, running21 kilometresfor the first time.

"I'm excited. Should be fun. It's certainly a new distance for me, but I think it's certainly kind of well within my wheelhouse. I always do better the longer the distance, so I'm looking to test my legs out and see what I got," said Zilles.

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Sandra Lyppshas been training since last year and will try to tackle the whole 42 kilometrecourse.

"So I have run the distance once before.Itwasn't pretty, but I did it. And so I've got that experience behind me. And so I'm hoping to utilize that and alter my training a little bit this year," said Lypps, adding she will train six to seven hours per week leading up to the race.

The marathon will be held on the weekend of October 14 to 16.