Baltimore Marathon

The 2009 Baltimore Marathon will begin this morning. The Baltimore Marathon is better known as “The Baltimore Running Festival”. According to reports nearly 20,000 people will participate in this year marathon. Runners are from 44 countries and every state of the United States. There will also be 5 Olympians taking part this year. Thousands of Baltimore residents will also run in the marathon. Today the runners will navigate the streets of Baltimore while being cheered on by crowds lining the route. If you are in Baltimore today you should join in the fun!

This is not just a running event, it is also a great tourist draw. Tourists from all over the world will come to Baltimore to participate in and watch “The Baltimore Running Festival. This event is an economic boost for hotels, restaurants and other businesses. According to a statement given by Heather Harlan of the Baltimore Business Journal:

“Last year, in the throes of a recession, it generated $22 million. So, the hope is that this year it will go up at least another $4 million, so we will see a $25 million or upwards impact for the businesses that desperately need it right now.”

The results of the marathon will be available online on sites such as Active.com. You can see the results of individuals using the participants name or bib number. If you did not run this year then get ready for 2010. See you there!