An up-and-down weather week is expected to give way to sunshine and mild temperatures for the inaugural Erlanger Chattanooga Marathon, which organizers say will be more than just a race.
“It’s going to be a phenomenal production,” Chattanooga Sports Committee President Tim Morgan said. “It isn’t just for the athlete. It’s also trying to attract people who love music, love technology and general entertainment.”
Plenty of runners are taking notice, though.
Organizers ordered 3,500 medals for finishers across the full marathon, half marathon, marathon relay, 5K and kids run, and the total number of registrants was creeping toward that benchmark Thursday, Morgan said. The half marathon sold out early this week.
It’s an encouraging sign for an event that local leaders hope will come to embody the city’s growing reputation for success hosting large-scale events in its downtown core such as Ironman, Head of the Hooch and the USA Cycling national championships.