Stillwater Marathon Grows with Volunteers and Scenic Views

Before participants in the 2011 Stillwater Marathon get out of the blocks there is still some work to do around the Stillwater area.

Fortunately, volunteers have been an important asset to the marathon, and will once again be an important factor this year.

“Volunteers have been very helpful over the years,” Marathon Organizer David Eckberg said. “Only issue we have is keeping them all busy because there are so many of them, but that is a good thing and they have been a big help to us and the marathon.”

One of those helping hands is coming from the River Valley Christian Church, which instead of holding church service on Sunday, May 29, the day of the marathon, it will head to downtown Stillwater to lend its services to the marathon.

“We are just taking our church service to downtown,” Pastor Jon Neitzell said. “I am not going to cancel our service, but relocating and asking our members to go there for the day.”

Most volunteers help with the water stations, typically what Neitzell and the River Valley Christian Church has done.

With the marathon growing in participants and the church’s participation in the tasks prior to and during, more water stations have been needed.

“When we first started, we only volunteered at two,” Neitzell said. “Last year we had four, so we are getting more involved. Not sure, maybe we will be doing more stations and even helping Dave (Eckberg) out with more things he may need.”

In total, there are 17 water stations, each with restroom facilities.

The full marathon begins at Highway 95, just south of downtown Stillwater and finishes at Lowell Park.

However, that is not the only race runners can participate in.

There is a 20-mile race, half marathon, 10K and 5K events, as well. If there is incentive for participants to step up to the full marathon, it is a qualifier to the Boston Marathon.

Stillwater resident Dave Junker has ran in the marathon for the past three years and said the options are a big reason why there are so many people make the trip to Stillwater.

“There just isn’t the full marathon for this one,” Junker said. “It offers the 5K and 10K, which is nice, but it also has the 20 mile, which is perfect for people warming up to the full. The options really are nice for people.”

Another reason why people from 44 states last year came is the scenic course participants run in, Eckberg said.

If it is difficult to go through the grind of foot-to-pavement for, in some cases multiple hours, runners can get a nice glimpse of the historic downtown area of Stillwater, or perhaps a look at the St. Croix River, which will most likely be full of boats over Memorial Day weekend.

“Sometimes I think we take for granted how beautiful Stillwater is because we see it everyday,” Eckberg said. “I have people come up to me after and say: “'Wow.' They are amazed at the beauty this city has and how scenic their run is.”

“It is different than most other marathons,” Junker said. “A lot of them you are just running through a city and all you see are buildings. This makes the run a lot easier and enjoyable.”

Along with the participants, Stillwater will be expected to have a busy weekend with Memorial Day on May 30, the day after the marathon.

Known to being a holiday that generally receives applicable weather, the St. Croix River will most likely be flooded with boats, tourists flocking to many of the restaurants and shops downtown and of course the residents of the city sticking around their hometown.

“With that extra day off of work for most people, you see a lot more people down there and in the marathon,” Neitzell said. “That definitely helps get people down there, but the marathon itself is a great event and would draw a large number of people anyways.”

Eckberg said the event is a boost to businesses in Stillwater, with the amount of money spent on food, hotels and antique shops.

“Can’t see why it wouldn’t help the city,” he said. “You look, there are people coming from 44 different states, people that don’t see Stillwater everyday.

"A family might take the trip and start it on a Friday and end it on Monday," he continued. "They might have just one person in the marathon, but the rest will spend time eating at all the different restaurants we have and enjoy the shops that are downtown.

“Hotels will be booked and places will be busy. It is a good event for the participants and of course a good event for the city.”

With people flocking from around the nation, the marathon still has a special meaning to Junker and other residents of Stillwater.

This is where they grew up and their city gets to hold a special event that grabs the attention nationally.

“Being from here, living here and growing up here, this is something special,” Junker said. “You are proud of the city you live in and the event that is being held there. That is why I run in it.”

For more information on the marathon, visit www.stillwatermarathon.com. It has all the contact information for individuals wanting to participate, registration fees, start times and types of races.

The marathon is scheduled for Sunday, May 29 at 7 a.m.