SAN JOSE
City to host musical half-marathon

Alan Gathright

Thursday, August 25, 2005


City officials plan an October 2006 "rock 'n' roll" half-marathon and hope to attract 65,000 runners, walkers and spectators downtown and pump $12 million into the local economy.

The 13.1-mile race will feature bands and cheering squads every mile. It is based on successful "musical marathons'' that promoter Elite Racing Inc. has held in San Diego, Phoenix, Nashville and Virginia Beach, Va.

The race in San Jose on Oct. 8, 2006, will cap a two-day health and fitness exposition and cheerleading competition. A post-race party and concert at the HP Pavilion will feature the band Goo Goo Dolls.

The half-marathon is the latest bid by San Jose to showcase the nation's 10th-largest city. Recent events include July's inaugural San Jose Grand Prix, the 2002 NCAA men's basketball Western regional finals, and Olympic trials for rhythmic gymnastics, judo and tae kwon do. An extreme-sports event, the Dew Action Sports Tour, comes to town Sept. 8-11.

This article appeared on page B - 4 of the San Francisco Chronicle


[source]http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/08/25/BABADIGEST4.DTL[/source]