San Diego to Host Masters Half Marathon National Championships

“We are absolutely thrilled to have Masters runners come to San Diego to compete at the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego Half Marathon,” says Tracy Sundlun, Senior Vice President and co-founder of the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series. “We know that the USATF is interested in putting their championships where their runners want to go, and San Diego fits that bill. It’s a great race with a fast course in a great city.”

Don Lein, the USATF Masters Long Distance Running Chair was instrumental in helping select San Diego for the championships. “San Diego is always a great venue for a race,” he says. “You don’t have to worry about the weather and the race itself is always professionally run. We don’t ever have to worry about our athletes not being treated properly.”

Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego, which dates back to 1998, has a long record of fast times and world-class fields. The event is home to the fastest half-marathon ever run on U.S. soil 58:41, by Bernard Koech of Kenya in 2013.

“I think the USATF liked the opportunity to take their championships to the biggest stage possible,” he says. Sundlun contends that now is a great time for Masters running thanks to American Olympic medal holders like Deena Kastor, Jen Rhines, Meb Keflezighi, and Bernard Lagat, who have all just started to compete in this division this past year.

“We have seen some further attention on our Masters runners thanks to them,” Sundlun added. “We’ve got a chance to really shine the light on this important group that is great for the sport.”

At the Masters Championships, a total of $10,000 in prize money is up for grabs, and what sweetens the pot for these athletes is the concept of age grading whereby an older runner can clock a slower time yet still place ahead of a younger runner with a faster time.

“Age grading allows us to compare performances appropriately,” Lein says. “It levels the playing field and incents the 60 or 70-year-old runner to keep at their peak. It keeps them interested in running longer. We are giving them the motivation to do that. I’m very optimistic about this event. We want to make this sport healthier than it is now.”

In addition to hosting the Masters Half Marathon National Championships, the event will feature American rock band O.A.R. headlining the Toyota Rock ‘n’ Roll Concert Series at Petco Park following the race. Runners will also enjoy the sounds of live, local bands playing along the course as motivation and entertainment, along with enthusiastic cheerleaders and thousands of cheering spectators.

Both the marathon and half-marathon start in Balboa Park and finish at Petco Park in downtown San Diego. The marathon course not only goes by Old Town and Bay Park, but also through iconic Little Italy—running almost completely separate from the 13.1-mile course. The half marathon ventures all the way up to Normal Heights, with the majority of the course wrapping around Balboa Park.

New this year, race weekend will feature a second day of running with a Rock ‘n’ Roll 5K on Saturday, part of what’s dubbed the Remix Challenge. Runners who complete the 5K, plus the half-marathon, marathon or half-marathon relay on Sunday will receive a medal for each race, plus a special #RemixChallenge medal

For more information or to register for the event, visit RunRocknRoll.com and follow the marathon on Twitter @RunRocknRoll