To the editor:
It never gets old: I get a little thrill whenever I see someone with their "Middle Half" running shirt on. It reminds me of the accomplishments of almost 1,600 runners, and the dedication of our sponsors, committee members and volunteers that helped to make the event happen. (And by the way, I recently saw the shirt at the Columbus Marathon in Ohio!) In just 3 years The Middle Half has grown to be the third largest half marathon in the state, behind the Country Music Half Marathon in Nashville and the St. Jude Half Marathon in Memphis.
It's not easy running 13.1 miles, and everyone who trained for and ran The Murfreesboro Half Marathon should be proud of their accomplishment. Some ran to train for a longer marathon later in the year; for others, this event was the goal they needed to get up off the couch and start a healthier lifestyle. Some ran for a cause; some wanted to cross it off their "bucket list".
Over 350 volunteers and thousands of spectators helped to make the event a success for the participants who came from 25 different states to compete. The Rotary Club, Noon Exchange Club, CMS Band Boosters, Kappa Alpha and The Discovery Center provided volunteers along the course; I'm still getting emails from runners who appreciated their support and encouragement. The St. Clair Senior Center members undertook the tedious task of unwrapping each of the 2,000 finishers' medals, and the School Resource Center was there at the finish, organizing the much-needed refreshments for the runners. Volunteers from Special Kids once again helped with the exciting kids fun run.
We are very fortunate to have Middle Tennessee Medical Center as our Presenting Sponsor. Not only did they oversee medical services all along the course and at the finish, but they also provided a Wellness Area for the runners where they could get post-race leg massages and advice from medical experts.
Our sponsors have partnered with "The Middle Half" because they support active healthy lifestyles. Thanks to the Murfreesboro Parks and Recreation, MTSU, Fleet Feet Sports, the City of Murfreesboro, State Farm, Purity Dairies, Snapple, Snickers Marathon Bars, CB&S Bank, Chick-fil-A, Emerson Appliance Solutions, IdeasTees, Jason's Deli, Kroger, and The WorxGroup for helping to make this event better and better every year. Our media partners helped to get the word out and spread the excitement, and we appreciate them: The Daily News Journal, Murfreesboro Magazine, The Murfreesboro Post and WGNS.
There is actually a technique for handing out water to runners. Eight groups organized and manned water stations along the 13.1 mile course: MTMC, Olive Branch Church, SunTrust, The Cooper Trooper Foundation, Tangerine Salon and Spa, First Presbyterian Youth Group, Reeves-Sain, and the MTCS Cross Country Team. Many have already committed for next year's race...thanks so much!
One of the many reasons participants choose to run our race is the opportunity to safely run through our beautiful and historic downtown streets. I can't thank the Murfreesboro Police enough for providing traffic control for the event, and the city's Sanitation Department for making sure the streets were clean. And many thanks, too, to the residents of Murfreesboro and the patient drivers who supported and encouraged the athletes as they made their way along the course.
There were so many people working behind the scenes...board members, family members, friends and strangers. I would list them all here if I could. I hope that every person who participated either as an athlete, a sponsor or as a volunteer is as proud of this event as I am.
Melinda Tate
Race Director
Murfreesboro Half Marathon
racedirector@themiddlehalf.com |
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