News
Eisenhower Marathon

Abilene will be one of four cities in Kansas with Boston Marathon qualifying races when the Eisenhower Marathon is run March 29, 2003, with race profits benefiting the Dickinson County Chapter of the American Red Cross.

Runners will wind through the territory cattlemen followed when bringing herds to Abilene on the Chisholm Trail in the 1800s, with the race beginning on Buckeye, west of the Eisenhower Center, going south on Highway 15, through Brown Memorial Park, south to Rural Center and west on 1400 Avenue for a couple of miles to the turnaround point.  The "mostly flat and fast" race will be run on all paved road.

"We were so thrilled to be allowed to use the Eisenhower name in connection with our marathon," Red Cross director June Viola DeWeese said.  "The Viola family is sponsoring the marathon, and staff at the Eisenhower Center were kind enough to present the marathon request to members of the Eisenhower family who remembered the Eisenhower friendship with our Viola grandparents.  It was really the huge step we needed to get the marathon promotional off to a great start."

Kansas Department of Transportation, Kansas Highway Patrol, Dickinson County Sheriff's office and the Abilene Police are all joining in meeting marathon needs as traffic will be detoured from Highway 15 for a 6-hour period, with the race from 7 a.m.-1 p.m.

"We were delighted when the Army National Guard, with cooperation from Sgt Allen Hudson, decided to assist with security for the event," DeWeese said.  "They will have 20 soldiers scattered along the marathon course to help with runner needs and traffic control."

Marathon inquiries are coming in from all over the United States and Africa with the first official entries coming from Streamwood, Ill; Springfield, Mo; and Milwaukee, WI.

"Once the course was certified by USA Track and Field, we were able to get information about the marathon on more than 1,000 web sites with more than 2,000 e-mails sent to individual marathoners, running clubs and race sponsors," DeWeese said.  "I respond to 20-30 requests for marathon information daily on Internet."

Several of the largest web sites in the nation are promoting the marathon, including Marathon Guide, Runners World, Running Network, Running Times, Road Runners Club of America, and USA Track and Field, with the Eisenhower Marathon listed on hundreds of marathon web sites including those for the Omaha Run, Run Wichita, Arkansas Runner and Kansas City Masterpieces.

Dickinson County's Chapter web site where individuals can get registration forms was created by Jenny Lies, Chapman High School student, with the assistance of Chapman business teacher Judy Smith. The web site address is http://dickinsoncounty.redcross.org.

"We owe Jenny and Judy a huge vote of thanks for creating the web site for us," DeWeese said.  "It has enabled runners to save one mailing step by printing the registration form off the web and mailing it in with their check.  We will soon have connections so runners can register and send their registration to us on the web, using credit card payments."

Runner's World Magazine is serving as a sponsor for the race and providing the runners' identification tags among other items.  The Red Cross is also seeking sponsorship from manufacturers of running gear.

"More than anything I would like to see area family sponsors join our team," DeWeese said.  "The Viola family is sponsoring the $500 first-place award for overall fastest female marathoner.  It would be great to have other families sponsoring the other cash awards!"

In addition to the $500 first place award for men and for women, second-place male and female finishers will receive $300, and third-place awards will be $200 for the marathon.  Half-marathon finishers will receive $150, $100 and $75 for first, second and third places respectively for both men and women.  All marathon finishers medal and first, second, and third place medals are given to the different age brackets in the marathon and half marathon.

One unique addition is a "get-acquainted-on-the-spot" team relay.  If individuals are not  long distance runners, they can join a 5-member team of runners, four of whom will run 6.2 miles with one running 1.4 miles.  Runners who don't have a complete team can enter a drawing Friday evening, March 28, and get acquainted with their other team members before the race.

The "get-acquainted-on-the-spot" team relay was the idea of Joyce Viola Dana, race coordinator.  Dana has been working with several large-scale marathon coordinators in organizing details for the race.

"Our Viola cousins are coming in from all over the United States to assist in various parts of the event," DeWeese said.  "It will be a fun family reunion for us!"

A pasta supper will welcome runners and their families Friday evening at the Civic Center.  Members of the general public can  meet some of the runners and attend the supper by purchasing advance tickets at a $6 charge for adults, $3 for children-under-12.

Following the race on Saturday, runners will be treated to a sandwich lunch at St Andrew's Parish Hall.  General public wanting to join in at lunchtime can buy advance tickets at $5 for adults and $3 for children under 12.

The awards ceremony will be at 1:30 p.m. with members of the Viola family distributing the awards.

"I really think this will be a great event for Dickinson County," DeWeese said.  "Hopefully the motels in Abilene will overflow, filling some of the bed and breakfasts in the county.  When the runners contact me, most of them are asking about attractions in the Abilene area for their families to visit."

Red Cross is currently recruiting running clubs and cross-country or track teams who could assist in sponsoring the water/first aid stations needed every two miles throughout the 26.2-mile course.  Each aid station will be asked to adopt a theme for their station, with runners voting on the "most creative aid station" at the end of the race and a trophy awarded to winning station.

DeWeese plans to develop a race pamphlet with area businesses able to purchase space to promote their business and/or offer coupons for purchases when marathoners visit the businesses.

"We're also hoping for widescale participation from Dickinson County residents in cheering the runners," DeWeese said.   "We would like groups of citizens scattered all along the course, encouraging runners and attending the awards ceremony."

Tri-Rivers Running Club from Salina will bring in a team of volunteers to handle the finish line, unless more than 300 runners sign up for the race.  In that event, a computer chip finish line will be required for the Eisenhower Marathon as a Boston qualifier.

"We are currently recruiting volunteers for the various aspects of the race," DeWeese said.  "We'll need kitchen help at both meals, cleanup help for both the Civic Center and St. Parish Hall, set up assistance for the large number of directional signs for the course, etc.  Each member of our Red Cross Board of Directors has been assigned a work area, and each of them will need volunteers to serve.  I would guess we'll have close to 200 volunteers involved in the total event."

Race directors hope to have sponsorships for all areas of the event, so that runner's entry fees can be used to assist families in crisis in Dickinson County.

"Whether it be single-family disasters or large-scale disaster preparedness, Armed Forces Emergency Services for our county's servicemen who are stationed worldwide, blood drive needs or our local assistance program for families meeting various crises on a monthly basis, our local Red Cross chapter can be counted on when needed," DeWeese said.  "My goal is to build chapter financial stability so that I know from month to month we can keep this chapter functioning as it should be.  There are so many needs out in the county, and we want to continue to 'be there' for folks when needed."

Further information and race brochures can be obtained from the Red Cross office, 206 N. Broadway, Abilene, by calling 263-2341, or by sending e-mail requests for information to redcross@access-one.com.