Scenic Whidbey Marathon steps off Sunday

Looking for something to do on Sunday, April 15? Feel like running just a bit over 26 miles?

Then the seventh annual Whidbey Island Marathon is the place for you.

Set up on a scenic course over country backroads and along waterfront coastline, participants will have the opportunity to view snow-capped mountains, beaches, pristine forests and wildlife on the run from Deception Pass to Coupeville.

Beginning at 8 a.m., 2,400 to 2,500 runners will step off from the intersection of Rosario Road and Highway 20 one mile north of Deception Pass on their journey south.

For those wishing to make a shorter run, the half-marathon run/walk begins at 8:30 a.m. at the Olympic View Elementary School on Regatta Drive.

After the start, the full marathon heads south on Highway 20 to Ducken Road and then east to Monkey Hill Road before turning south again.

From Monkey Hill Road runners turn east on Henni Road to Jones Road and then south again on Taylor Road all the way to Crescent Harbor Road where the route turns back west.

At Regatta Drive the trek turns back south once again where it is joined by half-marathon runners.

The whole group proceeds past Windjammer Park in Oak Harbor and along Scenic Heights Road to Madrona Way, eventually winding up at the finish line at the Coupeville Town Park.

This year, proceeds from the event will go the Whidbey Animal’s Improvement Foundation, WAIF, and the Return to Freedom American Wild Horse Sanctuary.

Both the full and half marathon courses will have plenty of on-course water and food stations along the way.

In addition, aid stations will be located approximately every two miles along the course. These stations will include water and toilet facilities.

Finishers of both events will receive a custom designed shirt, a unique one-of-a-kind finisher’s medal and access to a free event recap DVD.

Age-group awards will be given to the top three male and female finishers in five-year age groups from under 20 to 70 and above.

Winners in each gender category in the full marathon run will have their photos placed on 4.5 million of the Nature’s Path Optimum brand cereal boxes that are distributed across North America.

Nature’s Path is one of the event sponsors.

Shuttle buses will be available to transport runners from motels in Oak Harbor to the starting line and also from Coupeville back to Oak Harbor at the conclusion of the race.

From noon to 8 p.m. Saturday, April 14, competitors will need to pick up their race packets with complete information on the event and registrations at Oak Harbor High School.

It’s still not too late to join the fun and participate in one of the premier running events in the Pacific Northwest.