AKRON, Ohio – Celebrating its 20th year, the Akron Marathon Race Series  kicks off in June and encourages those who wish to run the Blue Line through the city to start a training program now.

What You Need To Know

  • Akron Marathon Race Series participants are encouraged to start training

  • The marathon was designed to encourage runners of every fitness level

  • Summa Health offers an 18-week program that begins this month

  • The FirstEnergy Akron Marathon, Half Marathon and Team Relay are set for Sept. 24

The Akron Marathon was designed to encourage runners of every fitness level, offering distances from 1 mile to the full marathon, according to an Akron Marathon Charitable Corp. release.

Summa Health offers an 18-week training program that begins this month, providing detailed plans for runners of every stripe, from beginner runners to competitive runners.

The Akron Marathon website houses a trove of training resources for participants, offering everything from stretching tips and places to train to Spotify playlists.

The Digital Resource Center provides training videos with workout circuits for runners and a series of specialized workouts.

This year’s race map shows the full and half marathons beginning downtown on South High Street, dipping as far south as Firestone Park, extending northwest to Sand Run Park and finishing back downtown on South Main Street.

As in past years, those who live on the Blue Line are encouraged to organize Blue Line block parties to cheer runners on, with the help of kits the marathon will provide.

The 20th Akron Marathon Race Series schedule:

Marathon participants who commit to racing in the series and register now, can avoid paying higher fees after Wednesday, June 1, organizers said.

As part of its 20th year celebration, the Akron Marathon is offering anyone who registers through June 20 for all three races — FirstEnergy Akron Marathon, half marathon and team relay — a chance to win a pair of Brooks Launch running shoes.

The marathon partnered with Second Sole Akrun on a drawing to give 20 pairs of the shoes away.

The Akron Marathon partnered with Second Sole Akrun on a drawing to give 20 pairs of Brooks Launch shoes away.(Photo courtesy of Akron Marathon Charitable Corp.)

In addition, those who register to take part in all three races will receive, upon completion of the races, a special race medal and a commemorative race-series medal rack, organizers said.

This year, a Blue Jean Bash will kick off the marquis race event at 6 p.m. on Thursday, September 22 at the John S. Knight Center. The event will feature running celebrities, interactive displays and a look at the 20-year history of the Blue Line, organizers said.

The idea for an Akron marathon was sparked when Steve Marks ran a marathon in Columbus in 1985. Following that race, he and his wife, Jeanine Marks, with the help of many volunteers, began a journey to create a race series in Akron that could contribute to the community’s health and residents’ quality of life, and boost economic vitality, organizers said.

The Akron Marathon Charitable Corp. was established in 2002, and the Akron Marathon began in 2003 with 3,775 runners and more than 3,000 volunteers.

Today, the Akron Marathon Race Series draws more than 15,000 participants from around the world each year to run the Blue Line that winds through the city, organizers said.

Visit the Akron Marathon website for more information, or to volunteer for the marathon.

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