Fargo Marathon 2010 heats up

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Starting Line for Marathon
From Fargo Marathon
The 6th edition of the Fargo Marathon will be run this weekend and it appears to be some really great weather arriving just in time. In January 2010 Runner's World Magazine ranked the Fargo Marathon first in value and 8th best marathon in the U.S.  Wow! I don't know how we do it. A marathon in Montana gets the top spot. Boston comes in at 5th. 
The marathon course once again has been changed. The marathon route looks a bit more serpentine this year but will indeed pass through Moorhead this year (it didn't last year due to the extended flood.) It may get a little dicey in the neighborhoods just south of downtown Fargo, as the course twists and turns through those neighborhoods 3 times. Looks like it will be one of the better places to watch if you are on foot or bike or board. Lindenwood Park should be a good place to spectate as well.
The new race, the 10k, will not cross into Moorhead due to the 12th Avenue toll bridge not coming to an agreement with the race officials. I believe the owner of the bridge claimed lost income if the bridge were to be used for the 10k. Understandable since the bridge was closed for 21 days due to the spring flood. However, I still don't understand how a toll bridge can even survive in this city. I guess it is probably because the owner has the only crossing in north Fargo to Moorhead. I digress.
The Fargo Marathon continues to grow. It appears that this year there will be a bit under 18000 runners in all events (5k, 10k, half, full marathon). The marketing for the marathon has been pushing for 20000. Quite the impact this race will have. 
I am not sure if they count the youth run participants. And speaking of the Youth Run (they got their own website)- it will be on Thursday evening and not on marathon day. The 5k will also be run at a new time- Friday evening.  And the half marathon starts a half hour earlier at 7:30 AM.
Fargo running blog Addicted to Running is sure to have more info to drop as race day approaches.

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