With Nashville’s Rock N’ Roll Marathon just a couple days away, the city has started prepping for this year’s race that comes with some big changes.
Not only was the race renamed to St. Jude Rock N' Roll Marathon Nashville its course was also modified.
The name was changed to draw in more athletes, which they think has worked because more than 30,000 runners have registered for the race.
Because of so much construction, clogging city streets organizers had to get creative. Their concern - fitting so many people into one street at the same time.
"It makes the roads narrower and when the construction fences are up it shrinks up a lot of that space because it spills on to the roadway," said Vice President of Events Alex Bennett.
The starting line was pushed back four blocks. Last year the gun went off at 4th Avenue and Broadway - this year runners will be at the top of the hill on 8th Avenue.
As soon as they cross the starting line they'll be headed downhill to turn onto 4th Avenue toward Demonbreun Street.
An interactive course map is available on the marathon website that displays bathrooms, water and Gatorade stations, music stages and other stops along the way.
Officials said to runners who may want to complain about the hills of this year's course, should know the conditions could've been much worse.
"We're making some adjustments downtown as well. Instead of running down 1st, we're going down 4th and back up that way and getting some of that mileage, and at the same time avoiding the hills," said Bennett. "In one version, we were going up to the Capitol so thankfully we're not doing that."
With so many runners expected, they said the race line could stretch past I-40 and the Tennessean building on Broadway.
The name was changed to draw in more athletes, which they think has worked because more than 30,000 runners have registered for the race.
For everyone not running, The Rock N' Roll Nashville weekend has been packed with events ranging from the live concerts and a health and fitness expo.
To register for a race, click here. Below is the weekend's full schedule:
HEALTH & FITNESS EXPO – DAY ONE
- Thu / 4.28.16 / 12:00 PM – 7:00 PM
- Music City Center, Hall A-B
HEALTH & FITNESS EXPO – DAY TWO
- Fri / 4.29.16 / 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
- Music City Center, Hall A-B
HALF MARATHON
- Sat / 4.30.16 / 7:15 AM – 11:00 AM
- Start Line: 8th Ave & Broadway
- Finish Line: Nissan Stadium
MARATHON
- Sat / 4.30.16 / 7:15 AM – 1:00 PM
- Start Line: 8th Ave & Broadway
- Finish Line: Nissan Stadium
5K
- Sat / 4.30.16 / 6:45 AM – 8:00 AM
- Start Line: 7th and McGavock
KIDS ROCK NASHVILLE
- Sun / 5.01.16 / 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM
- Start & Finish Lines: Nissan Stadium
