PITTSBURGH — Thousands of runners will take to the streets this Sunday for the annual Pittsburgh Marathon. The 26-mile course runs through many city neighborhoods, including the East End, where storms recently disrupted power and scattered debris along the route. On Friday, Channel 11 News spoke with organizers and city and county leaders who reported a collaborative cleanup effort.
Marathon organizers held a joint news conference on Friday. “This year’s marathon is bringing visitors from 50 states and 24 countries, giving us a chance to showcase Pittsburgh,” said Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato.
More than 46,000 runners are expected to participate this year, making it the largest turnout in the event’s history, according to P3R, the organization responsible for the Dick’s Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon.
“I want to thank city employees, the Department of Public Works, the Department of Public Safety, and our utility workers. They did everything possible to make this weekend happen,” said Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey.
Earlier this week, many expressed concerns after an unprecedented storm knocked out power, downed electric lines, and uprooted trees across the city just days before the race. Organizers have been monitoring the route daily.
“People are excited; they’ve invested a lot of time and effort into this journey, so we will make it work for them. We are not concerned about the course at this point,” said Troy Schooley, CEO of P3R.
On Friday afternoon, Channel 11 News drove along the route and observed that much of the 26-mile stretch had been cleared of debris, with crews actively repairing roads along Fifth Avenue. While power has not been restored in some areas of the city, organizers assured that this would not impact Sunday’s race. “All our generators power this event, so Duquesne Light and other power companies can focus on restoring service,” Schooley explained.
While out-of-town visitors may be unaware of the storm’s impact come Sunday, local runners are definitely aware. “We were without power and had a chaotic week just trying to get everything done, but we finally got our power back the other day, which was a relief,” said runner Will Lovever.
Lovever placed second in last year’s marathon and lives just outside the city. Despite being without power for most of the week, he continued training. He placed first in the Philadelphia Marathon last year and hopes to cross the finish line in Pittsburgh this year, cheered on by his family and friends. “It would be incredible to win and be the first Pittsburgh man to win the Pittsburgh Marathon,” Lovever said.
Crews will begin towing any cars parked along the route starting Saturday night.
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