MYLES Media Memo - 10 days until race weekend!

Date: May 9, 2006

Author: Dave Denny

With training intensifying and only 10 days until the Blue Nose Race weekend, excitement is building. We'll be sending along updates on a regular basis to keep you informed of Blue Nose news as the weekend approaches.

Areas of Interest:

The "People's Marathon": This race has welcomed runners of every skill level. Hundreds of first time runners have signed up for this annual event and they all have interesting stories to tell. 

• The "Wild Women" - group of ten women, eight of whom are repeating the half marathon this year. Most of the women know each other from soccer as they play in a Women's Seven-A-Side league together. Running together became a great source of motivation and support for the ladies.
  
• Margaret Barry - Volunteer coordinator for Astral Drive Elementary - in Colby (Cole Harbour Area). Organized school run. 30 kids probably will be running. 
  
• Carol Jamieson - running the 10k marathon with her 10-year-old son Matt. Carol has run the last 2 years and is trying to improve her time from previous runs.  
  
• Team Myles - a group of participants from all race categories, including the Youth Run, have been sharing their training experiences on line. Read all about them on www.BlueNoseMarathon.com
  
• New Comers Relay Team - A group of recent immigrants/newcomers to Canada living in Halifax have put together a relay team to participate in the Blue Nose Marathon. They are really excited about this event and are working at their training, This is a group that has never done anything like this before. They all enjoy being part of the group and it has made their recent immigration and first Canadian experiences quite enjoyable.

Walking a marathon: We are keeping the event course open for a full 8 hours to accommodate marathon walkers. Walking distances has become a growing trend - it's making completing a marathon more accessible to people of all abilities. Marathon walkers are coming from across the country to participate in Blue Nose. Please contact us if you would like to profile one of our marathon walkers.

Volunteers: It takes a lot of people to put an event like this together. We're recruiting 1000 volunteers for the event - by the time race weekend is over, we're estimating that 50,000 people hours will have gone into making this event a success. Please contact us if you would like to profile one of our amazing volunteers

Head Shoppe YMCA Team Relay: The Head Shoppe YMCA Team Relay consists of an eight-leg relay, with each leg being between four to seven km in length. Were expecting 50 teams this year from organizations throughout Atlantic Canada. All registration fees and pledges will go towards the YMCA Strong Kids program. Please contact us if you would like to profile the Strong Kids program.

The Team Relay is also a great opportunity for employers to encourage healthy living in their employees - and a great way to start running with a great group of friends. The Head Shoppe locations across the province and in New Brunswick are fundraising enthusiastically - by selling bits of road or wearing jeans for Strong Kids. Please contact us if you would like to profile one of the great teams who are running in the team relay.

Photo opportunities:

• If you're interested in catching runners training for the Blue Nose, check out the Wednesday night or Sunday morning running club - 5K, 10K, marathon and half marathon runners and walkers training with The Running Room gather at 8:30 a.m. every Sunday morning and Wednesday night at 6 p.m. Routes usually take them across the city. There are usually over 100 runners meeting at The Running Room on Spring Garden Road.
  
• Youth Run - Youth training with the Doctor's Nova Scotia Youth Running for fun Program are running daily at schools across the city.

Schedule of Events

FRIDAY MAY 19, 2006

TIME                             ACTIVITY                                                    LOCATION

11am - 6pm                  Registration and Race Kit Pick Up                     WTCC, Port Royal Room

11am - 6pm                  Nova Scotia 'Come to life' EXPO                       WTCC, Port Royal Room

6:30pm                         Running Room Friendship Fun Run                   The Running Room

SATURDAY MAY 20, 2006

TIME                             ACTIVITY                                                   LOCATION

8am - 9am                    Youth Run Race Kit pick up                             WTCC - Port Royal Room

10am - 11am                Doctors Nova Scotia Youth Run                        Brunswick Street

10:30 - 12 Noon            Youth Run Post Race Celebration                      Metro Centre

9am - 6pm                    Registration and Race Kit Pick Up                     WTCC - Port Royal Room

9am - 5pm                    Nova Scotia "Come to life" EXPO                      WTCC - Port Royal Room

11am - 3pm                  Tour Tech Speaker's Corner                            WTCC - Port Royal Room

6pm - 9:30pm               Macdonald Chisholm Trask-ING                        Metro Centre

Great Big Pasta Dinner

SUNDAY MAY 21, 2006

TIME                             ACTIVITY                                                         LOCATION

7am - 8am                    Race Day Kit Pick Up                                            HMC - Promenade

9am                              Full Marathon / Half Marathon / Relay begin            Brunswick Street

9:30am                         10K Run begins                                                    Brunswick Street

9:40am                         5K Run-Walk begins                                              Brunswick Street

9am - 3pm                    Team Relay STRONG KIDS VILLAGE                       Garrison Grounds

10am - 3pm                  SPRING Massage & Physio Centre                           Metro Centre

9:30am - 3pm               Post Race Mixer & AVW Tel AV Awards Ceremony    Metro Centre

5pm                              Finish Line closes                                                  Brunswick Street

7pm - 8pm                    Volunteer Appreciation Reception                            Fleet Club

8pm - 12                       Blue Nose Post Race Party                                      Fleet Club

General Information

Parking: Over the past two years, Waterfront Development Corp has assisted and supported the Blue Nose Marathon by waiving parking fees in the Cunard Lot, Marine Park and Block M. on Sunday, May 21st of Race Weekend.

Street closures: The police will be controlling access along the route as runners progress through the course. Although roads will NOT be officially closed, the controlled access may still slightly affect normal traffic flow. Limited access on the Halifax side will be on Brunswick Street, Sackville, Ahern and North from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Although no streets have limited access on the Dartmouth side, please be cautious on all streets along the race route from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Sunday. The Macdonald Bridge will be closed to traffic between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. while runners cross the bridge.

Full route maps can be found on www.BlueNoseMarathon.com 

Media Shuttle:

On Sunday, May 21 there will be one media shuttle provided for those interested in following the race route. The media shuttle will have access along the race route in order to take pictures, etc. There are a limited number of seats available - please call Dave Denny at (902) 463.0509 to book a seat in the vehicle. Note: the Macdonald Bridge will be closed between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. during the marathon.

Media Centre:

During the race weekend, there will be a media centre set up in the Metro Centre. Materials will be available through the media centre.

On your marks. Get set. Giv'er!

For more information contact:

Dave Denny

Blue Nose Marathon PR Committee

Phone: (902) 463-0509

Mobile: (902) 497-0905

Email: dave.denny@extremegroup.com