The OC Marathon heads into its 10th anniversary year poised to break several event records from entries in the full and half marathons and the obesity-fighting Kids Run the OC to economic impact and charitable fundraising. Set for Sunday, May 4, 2014, the OC Marathon is considered one of the best full and half marathon courses in the state with its diverse terrain, changing vistas and majestic ocean views. The race traverses Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Irvine and Santa Ana and boasts a blend of chic coastal scenery, tranquil nature and sophisticated arts and shopping. The OC Finish Line Festival gets supercharged in 2014 with a headlining band, tacos, beer and tons of giveaways. Detailed information is available on the brand new website at www.ocmarathon.com.
“The OC Marathon is more than a race; it is a community event, a positive social institution for people of all ages,” said OC Marathon Race Director Gary Kutscher. “Our 10th edition should be something special as we anticipate our biggest and best event ever.”
On track for a record 22,000-plus entrants across its four races – marathon, half marathon, Wahoo’s OC 5K and Kids Run the OC (KROC) – the OC Marathon has steadily evolved into a significant revenue machine for the region, generating nearly $21 million in economic impact for Orange County according to an independent analysis conducted by Forward Analytics, Inc., including $5.62 million in direct financial benefit. In addition, the event generates an estimated $735,103 annually in tax revenues for local and state governments.
Helping fuel the surge in entries is the high interest among runners embracing the 16 Official Charity Partners, the newest of which is Susan G. Komen, the world’s largest breast cancer organization. The OC Marathon again will feature myriad heart-warming human interest stories including hundreds of runners who have fought and conquered disease, obesity and personal loss to those who participate on behalf of several notable non-profits and causes including autism, cystic fibrosis, cancer and many more. In the last nine years, the OC Marathon has cumulatively generated more than $3.5 million for Orange County charities.
Perhaps the OC Marathon’s greatest impact is through the “Kids Run the OC” training program which will host 80 schools and 5,000 kids on Saturday, May 3 at the OC Fair & Events Center. The program is designed to help pre-adolescent kids become more physically fit, promote an active and healthy lifestyle and combat the onset of childhood obesity. Students are led through a training program by 120 volunteer coaches, accumulate the equivalent of 25.2 miles and finish their own marathon by completing the final mile on Saturday. Collectively more than 17,000 students have participated in the Kids Run and logged more than 400,000 miles.
“At a time when physical education class time is being limited in our schools, the Kids Run the OC training program is vital to the health and academic performance of thousands of Orange County children,” said KROC Event Director Angie Rowe.
The festivities ramp up when the runners cross the finish line at the OC Fair and Event Center, with the OC Finish Line Festival and Wahoo’s Village featuring great music from a headlining band, free massages for all runners, tacos, beer, vendor booths and tons of giveaways. Growing in popularity each year, 2014 promises to be the best party yet.
The 10th OC Marathon will be held on Sunday, May 4, 2014. More than 22,000 runners will participate in the marathon, half marathon, Wahoo’s OC 5K and Kids Run the OC. Additionally, thousands of spectators line the course and the start line in front of the Newport Beach Marriott and finish line at OC Fair and Event Center, while an additional 30,000 attend the two-day Allergan Health & Fitness Expo which showcases national brands and state of the art footwear and training technology. Visit www.ocmarathon.com for more information
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