ALLENTOWN, Pa. - More than 1,000 runners will hit the city’s streets this weekend for the 40th running of the St. Luke’s Half Marathon.
The race starts Sunday morning at William Allen High School and ends at J. Birney Crum Stadium.
In between, runners will cover 13.1 miles entirely in Allentown, with the course crossing Cedar Beach Park, Lehigh Parkway and a covered bridge over the Little Lehigh Creek.
About 1,400 racers are expected. The festival-like atmosphere features 13 live bands along the course and a post-race food spread that organizers say is one of the best in the nation.
Only a few dozen spots remain available. The $100 registration for the half-marathon closes at 11:59 p.m. Thursday, or until the last spots are reserved. Folks can register stlukeshalfmarathon.com.
Through the years the race has generated more than $800,000.
It helps fund the Lehigh Valley Road Runners’ $28,000 in annual scholarships to local high schools, and contributions last year also went to Girls on the Run, the Women’s 5k Classic and several high school cross country and track teams.
“Every shout of encouragement along the way is welcome.”Leslie Billowitch, race co-director
On Sunday, the St. Luke’s 5k kicks off at 8 a.m. and the half-marathon at 8:10 a.m. The 5k race is sold out.
The free St. Luke’s Youth Run, for kids 3 to 14, will be held Saturday in Lehigh Parkway.
“We encourage residents along and near the course to come out and support the runners with their cheers,” said race co-director Leslie Billowitch.
“It’s a remarkable, inspiring sight to see thousands of runners tackling 13.1 miles in the spirit of friendly competitiveness and camaraderie. Every shout of encouragement along the way is welcome.”
The following streets along the half marathon and 5k courses will be closed from 8 to 11:30 a.m. Sunday:
- Linden Street (which becomes Broadway) between 17th Street and Ott Street (closed until 11:30 a.m.)
- Broadway between Ott Street and Cedar Crest Blvd. -- closed between 8 a.m. and 8:40 a.m. for the St. Luke’s 5k race.
- Ott Street between Broadway and Hamilton Boulevard (reopens at about 9 a.m.)
- Hamilton Boulevard between 21st and 22nd streets (rolling closures after 9 a.m.)
- Yocco Drive
- Reading Road/Walnut Street between Yocco Drive and St. Elmo Street.
- South St. Elmo Street
- Union Street at the St. Elmo Street intersection
- Lehigh Parkway East between Martin Luther King Jr., Blvd. and Lehigh Parkway North, and Lehigh Parkway north at the entrance to the Lehigh Parkway trail.
- Park Drive in the Lehigh Parkway park
- Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. between St. Elmo Street and South 3th Street and the roads that intersect with Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, including the ramps to 15th Street, South 10th Street, Lehigh Street and West Union Street near Parkettes.
Detours will be posted and police will be directing traffic during the race. Maps of the race courses are available at stlukeshalfmarathon.com.