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Gasparilla Marathon On Last Legs

Tribune file photo by KATHY MOORE

Ronnie Holassie of Miramar won this year's Gasparilla Marathon. Next year's marathon will be the last.

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By BILL WARD | TBO.com

Published: March 22, 2009

TAMPA - Citing the strain the event places on city services and resources, Gasparilla Distance Classic Association race director Susan Harmeling said Sunday the marathon will cease to be part of the race weekend beginning in 2011.

The 10th and final Gasparilla Marathon will be staged Feb. 21.

"It's not because we don't do a great job with our marathon because we do," Harmeling said. "But we are ever-mindful of what we're asking from the city of Tampa when we stage a 26.2-mile event. And in the light of the current economic climate, where the city has to make budget cuts and reduce staff, we believe this decision is the right thing to do."

The city is a co-sponsor of the race weekend and provides services such as police, road barricades and waste management without charge.

No other major changes are being made to the race weekend in 2011. The 15- and 5-kilometer races will still take place on Saturday and the half-marathon will be staged the following day.

Harmeling said the marathon was not being pulled from the 2010 calendar because she felt it would be "unfair to the local running community," some of whom have already made plans for the race.

Including the marathon, this year's race weekend drew a record of more than 20,000 entrants. But the marathon entries accounted for only about 1,800 while the half-marathon attracted its largest field ever at nearly 4,400. Harmeling said the half-marathon could have an accompanying event in 2011, possibly a 10-kilometer race.

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