JACKSONVILLE - Runners from all over the world will be descending upon Jacksonville this Saturday for the 49th running of the iconic Gate River Run 15K running race that is also the American 15K (9.3 miles) National championship race.
"We have, I think, eight Olympians that will run this year with an estimated largest field ever for the race," said Gate River Run 15K race director Doug Alred. "Our biggest race to this point was 16,000 runners in 2012 and, I think, we have near 20,000 signed up for this year's race. We also have an international field coming for the first time since we became the American championship race."
Alred, who has been at the helm of the massive undertaking each year among his duties as the owner of 1st Place Sports of Jacksonville which also puts on a Jacksonville Grand Prix series of road races, said the competition from top to bottom, in all age groups will be wicked fast.
"Technology and training methods have been so improved over the last decade and athletes are eating better, training better and racing better because of it," said Alred. "The upper age groups, 40 years and above, have put in impressive times the past few years."
One runner expected to vye for the overall title will be defending champion and course record hold Wesley Kiptoo, who broke the nearly 20 year record of American runner Todd Williams with a 42 minute, 10 second finish last year with Williams holding a 42:22 split for two decades.
"Wesley is coming back with a shot at the American record with Williams' record at stake only because Wesley is now an American citizen," said Alred. "He broke the course record last year, but was not a citizen yet. Now he can do both."
One thing returning to the lure of the elite runners is what Alred dubs the Equalizer bonus.
"The elite women get a five minute lead at the start and the men take off after them," said Alred. "Whoever gets to the finish line first gets the Equalizer bonus for being the first across the finish line. We have had only a couple women get the bonus.
In 2012 and 2013, when the head start was 6:35, Janet Cherobon won the Equalizier twice while, in 2022, eventual three-time winner Emily Sisson won the bonus with a five minute head start but got caught in 2023 by male winner Hillary Bol.
Logistically, Alred reminded runners that because of construction on the new Jacksonville Jaguar Stadium, the historical finish area for the race, the race start and finish will be at the Jacksonville Shipyards and parking will be nearly half mile away.
"There is nothing we could do about the start and finish, but the race is entirely the same course as usual except the start is about half mile down Bay Street from the start that we have had there forever," said Alred. "Parking is no longer in the stadium area because of the construction. The closest parking areas are probably half mile or so away. The tailgaters are by the river will be the primary parking area. Don't forget your bib when you head to the start line."
More information on parking and race maps can be found at GateRiverRun15K.com.
Note: Parking suggestions are, if arriving off the Acosta or Main Street bridges, park downtown and walk (about half mile just before the Maxwell House factory). If you arrive off the Hart Bridge, the Tailgaters and Cypress parking lots will be available with a one mile free bus ride available. The top of the infamous Hart Bridge is the eight mile mark and nine miles is on Bay Street just past Everbank Field and the Daily's Place Amphitheater.