BMO Vancouver Marathon returns in-person in time for 50th anniversary
Posted April 30, 2022 8:08 pm.
Last Updated April 30, 2022 9:11 pm.
For the first time in three years, runners will be lacing up their sneakers for the BMO Vancouver Marathon in-person, just in time for its 50th anniversary.
The return of the runs is starting off with a bang as a record number of runners have registered.
Eric Chene is the race director and says the excitement to get running is high.
“We registered over 18,500. So we’re officially sold out across our three races,” he said. “The 8K, distance half marathon, and the marathon, setting an overall registration record. Our previous record was around 18,000. And for the marathon, itself being the 50th anniversary, we registered nearly 6,000 runners, which is about a 10 to 15 per cent increase from our previous record.”
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COVID-19 safety protocol will still be implemented Chene says, with social distancing, masking recommendations in some areas and hand sanitization stations.
As for drivers commuting in or around Vancouver Sunday morning, Chene is giving a heads up that road closures will be in effect for the Vancouver Marathon.
Chene says if you’re going north-south, use Main Street or east-west, you can take 6th and 4th Avenue.
“We do shut down quite a bit of Cambie Street early morning from 7 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. or so. We also shut down Granville, Oak and a lot of the other big north-south arteries,” he explained.
#VanTraffic: All motorists please be advised of road closures happening tomorrow, May 1st, due to the @BMOVanMarathon
More info: https://t.co/YGX8hgljhe pic.twitter.com/bmsyXKqIQm
— Vancouver Police (@VancouverPD) April 30, 2022
In Downtown, Chene advises to avoid Pender Street, however Georgia will remain open all day.
“Stanley Park is another big one. We do close all the roads in Stanley Park from 6:30 a.m. to 11 a.m … And Burrard Bridge is closed southbound until around 1:30 p.m.”
“If you plan properly … [and] make sure that you stay away from those key arteries, it is quite manageable to get around on race day,” he adds.
