Marathon times should be faster

Those taking flight down the Deseret Morning News/KJZZ-TV Marathon course Saturday may be running in the fastest marathon in America. That's because the course, which was changed by racing officials this year, has a 3,200-foot vertical drop from start to finish.

Race director Bob Wood and his staff modified the course this year. It starts at the top of Big Mountain, wanders down through Emigration Canyon, then finishes as always at Liberty Park. Runners will spend a portion of the race on the route of the Days of '47 Parade that starts later that morning.

"There's no question that most of the marathoners will have a chance to set new PRs (personal records) on this course," Wood said. "It spends a little longer time in the valley than in the past, and it's very fast."

Wood said race organizers knew they needed to modify the course to help offset the extreme altitudes and the heat from a race held in July.

Defending men's champion Jonathan Ndambuki is returning to the scene of his 2003 triumph. With a personal best of 2:10.58 in the marathon, Ndambuki has also won the Big Sur International Marathon the past two years, has a second-place finish in the Los Angeles Marathon to his credit and has victories in several other races.

Others who've entered the men's marathon race include Paul Pilkington, former Utahn now coaching at the University of Illinois and four-time Olympic marathon qualifier; Mike Korir, champion of the Philadelphia and Mercedes marathons; Corbin Talley, former Bingham High star who now coaches at Davis High School and has placed as high as third in this race previously; and Sasha Pachev, a four-time top-five finisher in the Deseret News marathon.

On the women's side, top entrants so far include Chelsea Smith, the NCAA Div. II cross country champion from BYU-Hawaii; Julie Thomas, who's finished in the top-five four times in this race and who won the Salt Lake Classic 10K race earlier this year; and Lisa Mangum, winner of the Top of Utah Marathon in 2002 and third-place finisher in Las Vegas last year.

There is one more chance to enter this year's races, as late registration will be held Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Prime Hotel, 215 West North Temple. A Health and Fitness Expo is also scheduled Thursday and Friday at the hotel, featuring a runners' clinic by former Deseret News 10K champion and BYU track coach Ed Eyestone on Friday at 4 p.m. Visit www.deseretnews.com/run on the Web for more information.