Putting on the Detroit Free Press/ Flagstar Bank Marathon is an enormous task.  Organizers spend the entire year putting all the pieces to the puzzle together so that the event looks flawless on race weekend. This is a just glimpse into some of the marathon operations.

Promotion: Disseminating information about the event includes creating brochures and posters that often can't be completed until many of the requirements of the event are decided upon.  Detroit's marathon sends out more than 50,000 brochures for its marathon and auxiliary events. More than a dozen weekends are spent at expos also handing out many thousands more.

Recruiting Sponsors:  Event costs can easily range over $100 a runner. More than twenty sponsors make it economically possible to put on the event. City Services and product sponsors are also part of the equation.  For example, the marathon uses 40,000 cups and over 6,000 gallons of water.

Public Relations: The event impacts a city in many ways. Churches, businesses and citizens on the course are impacted by the logistics of runners closing off streets. Creating awareness and seeking their support takes many months of phone calls and face to face communication.

Volunteer Recruitment: The marathon is connected to the community through volunteers needed to handle an entire weekend of activity. Race weekend is like mobilizing a battalion of troops. Many organizations and thousands of individuals report to staff and captains for their assignments.  The communication network to ensure that things happened on time adds to the nervous energy already encircling the event.

Charities: This year the Free Press Marathon is supporting five different charities. Marathon staff also work with Metro Detroit Youth Day and an inner city Parks and Recreation running program. Coordinating the generosity of thousands of runners has brought in more than a million dollars of support for worthy causes.

In-Training Program:  Running clubs and specialty stores have met monthly with marathon staff members to coordinate programs helping runners prepare for the marathon.

Runner Services: Processing 5,000 entries, designing t-shirts, medals and certificates requires hundreds of hours. Ordering supplies such as finish line blankets, safety pins, procuring merchandise for sale plus answering thousands of phone calls and emails can make your head swim.

The Course: Designing a course that will attract runners requires another 100 plus hours of planning, driving and measuring.  Once in place, mile marks and turns must be painted, relay exchanges determined and water, entertainment and spirit stations located with adequate parking.  Also mapped out are placement of barricades, timers, signage and course marshals. And of course, spots for the porta johns.

Race Day: Everything must be in place when the gun goes off.  Police, course marshals, timers and lead vehicles have their assignments. Medical staff is out on the course and at the finish line along with assistants for the wheelers.  Shuttle buses move the relay runners. Bands and entertainment is set in place along with all the fluid station supplies and volunteers. After it is all over its not over. Mountains of garbage must be picked up at the start and finish as well as on the course.

The Start and Finish areas: Football fields of fencing, timing mats, sponsor and start/finish banners must be specifically placed. Almost 70 massage therapists and several photographers work these locations. Entertainment for runners and spectators is secured. Collecting thousands of sweat bags must be picked up and delivered to the finish area.

The Expo: 50 plus vendors appear on race weekend. Staging, floor layout, guest speakers, securing hotel space and stuffing race packets are just a few of the Expo Mayor's worries.  Add the Pasta dinner activities here too.

Elite Runners: To help build prestige for the event, elite runners are solicited to lend their talent. To get their participation the elite runner coordinator works to provide accommodations and hospitality to these dedicated athletes.

Auxiliary Events: Take all of the above and apply it to the Reebok Relays, Compuware 5km Fun Run and Fitness Walk and Kids Run that are part of the weekend of activity.

Upcoming Races: August 10, 2002, 6 p.m., Cheesetown Challenge 5 Mile in Pinconning Contact: 989 979-5617 or email: [email protected]