The Unofficial Inaugural Urban Challenge Washington DC Marathon

An unofficial Washington DC Marathon will be held on Sunday morning in
place of the canceled official marathon. The event is being organized by
local running groups and many of the registered runners.

Runners registered for the marathon were shocked to find that the official
Washington DC Marathon was canceled Wednesday night "due to security
issues". Nearly 7000 runners were signed up to participate, and there are
many runners who would still like to run.

Runners will meet at 7:00 a.m. on Sunday at the DC end of the Memorial
Bridge. The unofficial marathon will start at 7:30 a.m. Participants will
be able to use the same course as the planned Washington DC Marathon
Course, but runners will need to use sidewalks and obey traffic laws. More
volunteers are needed to help at the event. Volunteers will need to be at
Memorial Bridge at 6:30 a.m. on Sunday.

A marathon in the District of Columbia brings together runners and
supportive friends, family, and other community spectators. This great mix
of people provides tourism benefits to the City. Some of these benefits
are economic, helping restaurants and hotels. Others benefits help sustain
the community itself. By hosting a marathon, DC appears to be a friendly
place for tourists and other residents of the region. The marathon course
shows that the DC neighborhoods are welcoming to runners, and that people
can go to places in the City other than the most famous national monuments.

Canceling the marathon makes DC appear as a scary place. Though
cancellation conveys a message of concern for the runners and the
community, it sends a message to participants and citizens throughout our
country and the world that our national capital is not a place where people
can gather together. It says to DC residents that people from other places
are afraid to visit the place that they call home. By participating in the
Unofficial Washington DC Marathon, runners will show that even in times of
war, community events can take place.

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