The ninth annual Magnificent Mile Race will be held on Sunday, Sept. 14, in downtown Raleigh. Its flat, fast loop course heads down historic Hillsborough Street, goes around the North Carolina State Capitol, and finishes in front of Second Empire Restaurant & Tavern, which resides in the 134-year-old Hecks-Andrew House.
The event is the NC-USATF championship race for the road mile, part of the Endurance Magazine/NC-USATF Long-Distance Championship Series, and part of the Second Empire Grand-Prix Racing Series. It holds numerous state records across all age groups, including the coveted “open” category. There is a purse of $3,000 for the top North Carolina finishers and a $1,200 purse for the top non-resident finishers.
In addition to the competitive mile, which features a men’s and women’s heat, there is also a recreational mile for those who prefer to walk or jog and two kids’ races for youngsters. The event also features the Street Fair on Harrington with free barbecue courtesy of The Q Shack, as well as face-painting, a mobile video-gaming truck, and a bouncy house.
The Magnificent Mile race was started by Sarah Witt, a former runner who now has a motor neuron disease called primary lateral sclerosis, or PLS, that is related to ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease. Proceeds from the race will benefit the Jim “Catfish” Hunter Chapter of the ALS Association. The Catfish Hunter Chapter provides equipment grants, loaner equipment, and many support services to North Carolina individuals and families who are affected by motor neuron disease. The chapter also helps fund four ALS clinics across the state, including the Duke ALS Clinic, where Sarah has been a patient for nine years.
For more information and to register, visit www.magmilerace.com, or www.facebook.com/magmilerace, or Twitter @magmilerace.
If you are interested in being a sponsor or volunteering, please contact info@magmilerace.com.
