Kick-off Runs Jumpstart Marathon Training

Marathon season kicks off on Saturday, Jan. 7 with the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon Kick-off Training Run held at Fleet Feet in Pepper Pike and hosted by the Cleveland Marathon, Fleet Feet Sports (the official training partner) and Brooks.  A second kick-off training run will be held Saturday, Jan. 14 for those on the west side of Cleveland at Fleet Feet in Westlake.

The training run on Jan. 7 marks the start of the 18-week training period for the 2017 Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon, scheduled for May 20-21, 2017. More than 15,000 are expected to register for the weekend’s events.      

The 2017 Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the race, which began in Cleveland in 1978. The annual event provides a running experience for all individuals who want to participate regardless of their abilities. Since 1978, more than 350,000 runners have participated, generating more than $18 million dollars of economic impact annually to benefit the Cleveland community.