Sunday, March 2, 2008

The Marine Corps Marathon, last year the world's seventh-largest marathon with 20,623 official finishers, is getting even bigger -- by seven races.

Last month, race director Rick Nealis opened registration for the Butler Relay, a two-person 10K event set to debut March 29 at the Quantico Marine Base. To stoke interest, Nealis announced last week that relay runners will receive non-complimentary but guaranteed entry forms for the two cornerstones in the new Marine Corps series, the marathon and the Historic Half Marathon, which debuts in Fredericksburg on May 18 and already is sold out with 5,000 runners.

In the suddenly booming business of major marathons, the Marine Corps is a big-time brand and, because of its military-based status, a unique player on the national scene.

Rapidly expanding event platforms and consolidation of regional races are a recent but growing industry trend. Locally, the Baltimore and Frederick running festivals, both managed by Corrigan Sports Enterprises in Elkridge, Md., host five events on the same day; the National Marathon includes a half marathon; and the Cherry Blossom 10-miler has added a 5K.

Nationally, two major mergers since the beginning of the year -- a private equity company's buyout of Elite Racing, which started the Rock 'n' Roll race series, and the purchase of PR Racing Inc., a fitness event management company in South Florida, by Dallas-based US Road Sports & Entertainment Group -- have sparked concerns of what Road Runners Club of America Executive Director Jean Knaack termed "the Wal-Martization of running."

"Those races [purchased nationally, including the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon in Virginia Beach and the Philadelphia Distance Run], have to satisfy a bunch of investors, they need to return a profit," Nealis said. "For me, I've got to keep our standards high. Our mission is different. I know a lot of people would love to buy us out, but we're quasi-government and that just won't happen."

Capital Running Company, which puts on 40 area races annually, fears that smaller races will be harmed by the advancing monolith of road-running festivals.

"We'll keep doing what we're doing," owner Kathy Freedman said. "But why should these marathons go after the 5K market? There are a lot of worthy charities that struggle to put on a 5K fundraiser, and there's going to be no room left for them."

¿ AND GROWING: After a decrease in runners last year, the St. Patrick's Day 8K on March 9 could reach 6,000 runners, which would be a record. . . . The National Marathon on March 29 is on pace for a record field, with registration for the marathon and accompanying half marathon approaching 4,600. . . . The Frederick Running Festival, May 3-4, anticipates closing entries at 4,300.

-- Jim Hage

hagej@washpost.com