At race expos during the past several months the number one question posed to Detroit Free Press/ Flagstar Bank Marathon staff members has been: Are we going back to Canada? Organizers of the race are now optimistic that runners will be able to cross into Windsor via the Ambassador Bridge and back through the Detroit/Windsor Tunnel. Bridges have often been a huge drawing card for races. They are architectural feats and provide panoramas that training runs rarely can match.

Participation at the New York City Marathon didn�t balloon to its 20,000 plus runners until the course was changed from loops around Central Park to the five city boroughs. The starting line at the Verrazano Bridge is unique. Runners start from several locations on its two deck suspended roadway. Of special note: A team of psychologists known as the Psych team stroll about the Verrazano Bridge trying to calm runners who have bridge phobias. At seventeen miles, the Queensborough Bridge offers a breathtaking view of midtown Manhattan accompanied by one of the longest carpets in the world to cover the grated walkway.

Many watercolor paintings have depicted runners crossing the Tower Bridge during the London Marathon, also one of the largest marathons in the world. The bridge's gothic towers are a work of art. Years ago the race finished on the London Bridge while Big Ben appropriately measured time as runners streamed by.

A few bridges have had their moment in time as runners took part in a unique experience never to return again. The Rama IX Bridge in Bangkok was christened for King of Thailand�s 60^th birthday. Almost 100,000 runners ran or walked across the bridge in a one time only experience.  In New Orleans during the early 80�s, runners crossed the longest over water bridge in the world. When the wind was blowing in the right direction, the 24 mile Lake Ponchartrain Causeway gave many runners record setting times. 

Three waves of runners experience the Golden Gate Bridge via the Houlihan's across the Bay 12km, which originally began from its Sausalito pub and arrived at its sister pub in San Francisco. The Cooper River Bridge Run in charming Charleston, NC struck gold when Opra Winfrey decided to run the race. Now, more then 15,000 are still hoping she will return.

Quechee, Vermont is home to one of the most unusual half marathons. Its limited field is blessed to follow the downstream and downhill of the Ottauquechee River. Four covered bridges and several picturesque towns later, runners set foot on the polo field in Quechee where beer is served from the Harpoon Brewery.

Boston Marathon race director Dave McGillivray is also directing another marathon this year with some similarities to Detroit. Virginia Beach will be home to marathoners interested in running 14.5 of their 26.2 miles under or over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel. 

While Detroit and Windsor can lay claim to the only international marathon that crosses a border by bridge and tunnel, it is not unique in border crossings.  The Peace Bridge in Buffalo has been host to two U.S. Olympic Trials and the Niagra Marathon continues to use the bridge to cross into Canada.   Last month, the Blue Water Bridge celebrated its 25^th year of carrying runners from Port Huron to Sarnia for the CHOK YMCA International Bridge Run

Many other bridges are open to runners only once a year but few look better in magazine advertisements than the Big Sur�s Bixby Bridge.  The difficult course is so impressive visually that the race fills up within weeks of open registration.

Cities strive to provide runners with an extraordinary impression that will make them want to visit and return. Being fortunate to have the use of a bridge is every race director's dream in achieving that experience.