Thousands Will Pound The Pavement This Weekend During Free Press Marathon

DETROIT (WWJ) - Downtown Detroit is ready for the 38th annual Detroit Free Press-Talmer Bank Marathon. Some 28,000 runners are lacing up for Saturday's 5k and fun runs, plus Sunday's marathon, half-marathon, and relays.

Race director Barbara Bennage says while the start-finish line has been moved to Fort and Cass, there won't be any M-1-related detours.

"We cross over Woodward on Congress - they promise us everything will be done by Saturday," says Bennage. "Paved over, nice and good for us, it won't be completely finished but it will be good for our runners.

"We do put mats over the M-1 rail - so we have mats so nobody trips over that."

Bennage says a lot of runners will give you the shirt off their back--literally, as all the cast off shirts, gloves, and hats are collected for a good cause:

"Fort Street Presbyterian gives it to their homeless program that they have and we bundle everything up and give it to them and they give it to the homeless," she says.

They won't take last-minute runners, though last-minute volunteers are welcome. [MORE DETAILS HERE]

Bennage says popular spots for spectators include the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel, Griswold and Woodward--for half-marathon fans, and Indian Village, which she affectionately calls "party central," because the residents get involved along the sidelines, "they come out in droves and have parties," to celebrate the run.