PORT ANGELES — The second annual North Olympic Discovery Marathon and Half-Marathon may end up being almost twice as big this year.
The Sequim-to-Port Angeles races start at 9 a.m. on Sunday.
A total of 535 runners finished both races last year — 999 have signed up so far for this year’s event.
“I haven’t checked to see if any more have signed up for the past two days, so we should be over 1,000,” said Larry Little, race director, on Thursday.
Little guesses that the 2004 total will be close to 1,050 runners.
Most of the racers are from towns and cities outside Clallam and Jefferson counties and come here with their families — a boon for local restaurants and hotels.
The 26-mile marathon — an officially sanctioned Boston Marathon qualifier — begins at Sequim’s Carrie Blake Park.
The 13.1-mile half-marathon starts at the same time at Robin Hill Park.
The finish line for both races is at the Port Angeles City Pier.
Registration for the races is still open through Saturday at the Red Lion Hotel, with a special exposition there on Saturday from noon to 8 p.m.
Full race details are at www.northolympicdiscoverymarathon.com, or phone 360-417-1301.
Cost is $100 for the full marathon, $60 for the half-marathon.
Little is elated about how well the second marathon is coming together.
“It’s amazing,” he said Thursday. “There’s not a better race in the country.”
Little says this is the best because of how well organized it is, the safety and scenic beauty of the course, the quality of the T-shirts each runner receives, the number of volunteers and aid stations and also the fact that each runner is personally greeted as he or she finishes the race.
There are 15 aid stations, more than last year.
More than 510 volunteers have signed up, which is an “incredible percentage” compared to the number of runners, Little said.
“We do a better job than anybody else,” Little said.
The race’s title sponsor this year is Virginia Mason Team Medicine.
The time to beat for the course record in the second race is 2:35:56, which was set by Chimacum’s Ian Fraser, a former track standout at Port Townsend High School.
Fraser smoked the course, beating runner-up Matthew Simms by more than 10 minutes, 2:46:30.
As of Thursday, Fraser was not signed up for the race.
About a week ago, Fraser was second in the Vermont City Marathon, where he was just 9 seconds off the winning pace.
His time of 2:24:11 was a personal best.
Fraser also owns the two best times for Port Townsend’s Rhody Run.
The time to beat in the women’s race is 3:15:47. Jennifer Hansen was first last year.
The women’s race was closer as Deborah Fletcher was second in 3:17:13 and Emily Thiel was third in 3:17:43.
The men’s masters event also was a barn-burner with Harold Smyth first in 3:11:08, Tom Gillman runner-up in 3:11:26 and Larry Abraham third in 3:11:45.
Janet Green, though, dominated the women’s masters race with a time of 3:37:39. No one was close to her.
Half-marathon winners were Frank Prince in 1:17:46 and Nancy Abraham in 1:37:32.
Viewing spots
There are several good spectator viewing locations along the course, including:
* The marathon start at Carrie Blake Park, where the runners make a 4-mile loop and run past the start a second time.
* Anywhere along Washington Street in downtown Sequim.
* Sequim Avenue and Hendrickson Road.
* The west side of Railroad Bridge Park. For safety reasons, parking won’t be allowed on the east side of the park.
The rest of the viewing is for marathon and half-marathon spectators:
* Turn off Old Olympic Highway onto Wild Currant Lane. Go about one-half mile and park at the end of the road, just before the Siebert Creek Bridge.
* Continue south on Old Olympic Highway for about 1 mile and head west on Highway 101. Travel about 2 miles and turn right at the Scenic Overlook (just past Deer Park Cinema).
This is mile 20. The runners have finished their final climb and it’s all downhill and along the water for the next 6 miles.
* Finish area. Hollywood Beach is a good place to watch the runners cross the finish line.
There is free shuttle bus service for the runners from downtown Port Angeles to each race start.
Buses leave the Oak Street bus station starting at 6:40 a.m. with the last bus at 7:40 a.m.
Parking is available at Carrie Blake Park but there is no parking at Robin Hill Park for safety reasons.
There is parking at the Storm King Soccer Field, about 1.5 miles from the park.
Runners can take a free shuttle from the parking lot but spectators must walk the distance.
To reach the soccer field from Port Angeles, turn left on Old Olympic Highway from U.S. Highway 101, travel for 3.4 miles and turn right on Barr Road.
The soccer field is the first right.
From Sequim, turn right on Carlsborg Road from Highway 101, travel 1.7 miles to Old Olympic Highway, turn left, and go about 2.7 miles to Barr Road. Turn left; the soccer field is the first right.
Watch the Port Angeles Harbor between noon and 1 p.m.
The Jamestown Canoe Club will paddle the shore next to the marathon male and female front-runners.
The winners also will receive a victory paddle in the harbor.