Race set at 13,300 entrants

LITTLE ROCK — According to Geneva Hampton, co-executive director for the Little Rock Marathon, approximately 13,300 people have signed up to compete in Sunday’s 11th annual Little Rock Marathon.

Approximately 59 percent of the entrants are female, which Hampton said is unusual for marathons.

“Most are dominated by men, but people like the fact we pay attention to the little things,” she said.

Hampton said she and Gina Pharis, the other co-executive director, are runners themselves who understand the needs of the runners, from portable toilets and aid stations and medical personnel on hand.

The race also serves as a qualifier for the Boston Marathon, and Hampton said participants also like the fact that finishers receive a medal, which Runner’s World described as “the world’s largest marathon finisher’s medal.”

This year’s medal is in the shape of a horseshoe with the word “Lucky” across it. It is 8 inches long and weighs 2 pounds, 12 ounces.

The course is unchanged from the past several years. The race will start at President Clinton Boulevard and Sherman Street and finish in Riverfront Park behind the River Market.

Runners who need more than six hours to complete the race will start at 6 a.m., with the rest of the field taking off at 8 a.m. The course will close at 2:30 p.m.

The course will have aid stations every 2 1/2 miles and one every mile from miles20-25.

Maybe the most satisfying aspect of the marathon, Hampton said, is seeing people complete the course who didn’t think they could run the entire 26.2 miles.

“The biggest thing is the process,” Hampton said. “It’s fun to see the work that everyone puts into it and seeing people’s faces when they cross the finish line.”