'Music to our ears': P.E.I. Marathon optimistic about weather forecast

A sunny forecast for this weekend has P.E.I. Marathon organizers excited, after runners suffered through snow last year.

"I love the sound of that forecast," said race director Myrtle Jenkins-Smith.

"It's music to our ears."

Along with the sunshine, Environment Canada is forecasting a high of 10 C for Saturday and 14 C for Sunday.

This is the 13th annual marathon. The first attracted 173 runnersand was considered a large event at the time, said Jenkins-Smith.

This weekend's event has 2,800 registered and is being run with the help of 300 volunteers.

No new route

There are some new things this year, including the finishing gate, but Jenkins-Smith is most excited about something that isn't changing:the route.

We had the option to go back,but with the feedback of all the participants they said please keep it.- Myrtle Jenkins-Smith

For the last few years there have been route changes due to construction, and Jenkins-Smith said changing the route involves a lot of administration.

As a Boston Marathon-qualifying event, every change to the marathon has to be approved by the Boston organizers.

The first five kilometres of the route had to be shifted last year, and organizers are sticking with that change this year.

"We had the option to go back,but with the feedback of all the participants they said please keep it," said Jenkins-Smith.

Traffic warning

Motorists are being asked to keep an eye out for runners, particularly during the main event Sunday morning.

Traffic will be one-way, eastbound, from the Brackley entrance to the Dalvay entrance of P.E.I. National Park from 7:30 a.m. until around 10:00 a.m.

Sherwood Roadbetween Brackley Point Road and Route 2will be closed from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m.

University Avenue between Kirkwood Avenue and Grafton Street will also be closed during that time.

Several areas downtown will be closed from 5 a.m. until 3 p.m.

There will also be parking restrictions downtown on Saturday and Sunday.

• MORE P.E.I. NEWS |P.E.I. looks to avoid significant change to federal health funding
• MORE P.E.I. NEWS |French school board not interested in combined high school