Baltimore Marathon 2014: Route, Course Map, Times, Event Details
Their beloved Baltimore Orioles may have been swept in the American League Championship Series, but the people of Baltimore will celebrate their city when they hit the streets for the 2014 Baltimore Marathon on Saturday.
Dave Berdan, who just so happens to be a Baltimore native, is looking to hold on to his crown with a second straight victory, while plenty of other competitors are likely excited to simply enjoy the crisp fall air.
Here is a look at some of the important information for the 2014 event. Unless otherwise stated, information is courtesy of TheBaltimoreMarathon.com.
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Key Information
The Baltimore Marathon takes place on Saturday, Oct. 18 and begins at 7 a.m. ET. However, Alexander Pyles of The Baltimore Sun noted that the entire festival includes the marathon, a half-marathon, a group relay, a 5k and a kids race and will actually stagger start times between 7 a.m. and 8:45 a.m.
The start line is at Russell and Camden streets.
A full 22-page handbook with race-day information, travel tips, things to do in the area, registration details and more is available here, courtesy of the event’s official website.
Course Map
The official course map and all-important elevation chart can be found here, while the street-by-street directions can be found here. Both are courtesy of the Baltimore Marathon’s official website.
Route Details
Driving 26.2 miles is difficult sometimes, so nobody is going to mistake a marathon course for easy. However, the Baltimore Marathon does provide something of a relief for runners near the 21st mile in the form of flat terrain. A loop around Lake Montebello will be a welcome sight for the competitors as they get within five miles of the finish line.
Elsewhere, the route provides visitors and locals alike a look at a number of different areas in Baltimore, including the Inner Harbor waterfront area, Fells Point and Federal Hill.
The half-marathon course starts near the 13-mile mark of the overall marathon route but splits almost immediately into its own lane to alleviate congestion and foot traffic. The half-marathon competitors rejoin the marathon route later in the race.
Some runners will be glad to know there are a number of amenities along the course, including an abundance of free parking, mileage signs at every mile and 15 fluid stations with both water and Gatorade available. Food, energy gels and protein bars will also be provided at multiple fluid stations.
Who to Watch
Marathons represent a number of different things to a number of different participants. Many will be looking to set personal bests or break through their own internal time barriers, while others will simply see it as an opportunity to get outside and enjoy a fall day.
However, Baltimore native Berdan is looking to build on the history he made in 2013 and win the Baltimore Marathon for the second consecutive year. He is a 33-year old teacher who ended a decade of winning by elite runners from Africa at this event with his 2013 victory.
Berdan’s 2013 time of 2:30:05 fell short of his personal best at the event. In 2011, he was leading the Baltimore Marathon at a point and eventually finished in 10th place with a time of 2:21:19. That mark is still the best finish for a Maryland resident in the history of the event.
Berdan discussed his chances of a repeat recently, via Kate Amara of WBALTV.com: "I’d like to win again. It’s 26.2 miles, so I always tell people, 'Anything can happen in the marathon. You don’t know who’s going to show up. You don’t know how your body’s going to react that day.'"
The best Berdan can do is train for the event and hope his body responds on race day, but he seemed to be on the right path when he provided an inside look at just what it takes to compete at a high level. He also earned a shoutout from Under Armour in the process:
The Stevenson University cross-country coach isn’t only trying to win his second straight Baltimore Marathon on Saturday. He also has a goal of qualifying for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Marathon trials in the fall or the upcoming spring.
He will need to finish in the top three at trials to make the Olympic squad.
Before Berdan is making his country proud as a potential member of the Olympic team, he will once again make his home city proud with an impressive showing in the Baltimore Marathon.
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