Legs For Literacy

Legs For Literacy
2013 Logo
Date	October
Location	Moncton, New Brunswick
Event type	Road Race
Distance	Marathon
Established	2000
Course records	2:39:40 (Jean-Marc Doiron, 2016)[1]
Official site	http://legsforliteracy.com/en/home/default.aspx

Legs For Literacy is an annual marathon (42.195 km/26.219 mi) race held in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada. The race is a Boston Marathon qualifier, with 49 of the 195 finishers qualifying in the 2013 edition of the run.^[2] The race is held in late October. The event raises funds for local literacy initiatives, with well over $288,000 being raised as of 2012.^[3] The title sponsor of the event is currently SPIELO International, an arcade and online gaming company, while each race distance is sponsored by an individual company; Recharge With Milk (a campaign by Dairy Farmers of Canada) for the marathon, Majesta for the half marathon, Subway for the 10km, and Booster Juice for the 5km.

Background

Legs for Literacy was started in 2000 by a small group of local runners and a team of enthusiastic volunteers. They saw a need for an event to raise funds for local school literacy programs. The first event included 5 and 10 km distances. Over the years the race grew to include the half marathon distance, and in 2005 the marathon distance was added. Due to amazing support from the running community and business sponsors, the race has grown from 268 total participants in 2005 (just 46 marathon finishers), to almost 800 total finishers in 2006, to 2818 finishers in 2013 (with 3100 registered), with another 400 kids entered in the youth event.^[3][4]

Events

Although the headline event for Legs For Literacy is a full marathon race, it also features a half-marathon, 10 kilometer (with a division for Nordic walkers), 5 kilometer, and a youth athletics event.^[5]

Course

The Legs For Literacy course routes change quite often, usually starting and finishing at the official race hotel, usually on Main Street. The following route has been used for 2012 and onward.

Starting from 780 Main St., proceed East through the downtown core, to Mechanic St. Turn right on Mechanic and continue, crossing Assomption Blvd., through the Rogers parking lot to the trail. Turn right on the trail and follow the trail towards the Gunningsville Bridge. Following the cement sidewalk up to and across the bridge. At the end of the bridge, runners will turn left heading east along the trail with the Moncton skyline and river on the left. On the trail, just past the ball field, runners will then turn back and head west towards the causeway in Riverview. Near the causeway veer to the right, staying on the trail, then circle back, heading east towards the Gunningsville Bridge on the trail. Once back on the bridge, runners will proceed to Moncton and exit the bridge onto the trail heading east towards Dieppe. On the marsh in Dieppe there will be a turning point for the half marathoners near the 18km mark. Half marathoners then back to the finish line via the trail and Mechanic and Main streets.

Marathoners will continue on the trail until the end where it reaches rue Gilliespie in Dieppe. From Gillespie, turn left onto Pointe Aux Renards and proceed right on Amirault then a short downhill to a left turn onto Fox Creek Road. Runners will then have a short climb on Fox Creek Road which levels off proceeding to Melanson Rd. Turn left onto Melanson and then a right onto Bourque Rd. Follow Bourque Rd to Chartersville Road where runners will turn left. Follow Chartersville to rue Centrale. Turning left on Centrale, the runners will then proceed to Francelle Crescent, then right on Centrale. Proceed to rue Vanier est., to rue Gregoire and rue Broussard back to Centrale. Then follow Centrale to Melanson, turning left. Runners will then turn right onto Fox Creek Rd. Follow Fox Creek Road, crossing and turning right onto rue Amirault. From Amirault, turn left on to Pointe aux Renards. At the end of Pointe aux Renards runners will enter the trail to the right and run up to Gillispie and follow the trail back to Moncton. Exit the trail at Mechanic Street through the Rogers parking lot and finish on Main Street near ScotiaBank.^[6]

Challenges

In 2013 Legs For Literacy, the Fredericton Marathon and Saint John's Marathon by the Sea formed the Tri-City Run. Runners in each of these events, regardless of the distance they ran, received medals that can be combined to form a "mega-medal" known as the "Tri-City Medallion." ^[7] The June 2013 edition of iRun listed the Tri-City run as one of Canada's unique races.^[8]

In 2014 the Miramichi Rock 'n' Run race was added to these three races, forming the "New Brunswick Challenge." Runners completing a race at all four events will receive the New Brunswick Challenge medal.

See also

• Fredericton Marathon
• Marathon by the Sea
• List of marathon races

References

External links

• Official Website
• Route Details and Maps