Harvest Marathon attracts top-level competitors

BY JOHN DECOSTE

jdecoste@kentvilleadvertiser.ca

NovaNewsNow.com

The final registration numbers aren’t in yet for this weekend’s Valley Harvest Marathon, but the event, which has shifted its base to Wolfville from Kentville this year, is already attracting some top-level competitors.

Event coordinator Dwayne MacLeod confirmed last week that some high-profile runners had already committed to the Oct. 12 event, including Alex Coffin, winner of this year’s Saint John Marathon by the Sea.

“He has indicated to me that he is set on winning the Valley Harvest and setting a course record that will be difficult to beat in future years,” MacLeod said of Coffin.

The current holder of the course record (2:34.52) for the Valley Harvest Marathon (on the original course), veteran marathoner David MacLennan of Scotsburn, Pictou Co., has also committed to run this year’s event. Along with his successes at the local event, MacLennan is also a multiple winner of the Johnny Miles and Blue Nose marathons.

This year’s Valley Harvest Marathon is not only a qualifying race for the Boston Marathon in both 2009 and 2010, it will also serve as the Run Nova Scotia provincial championship for the marathon distance.

MacLeod was confident that several elite runners from Nova Scotia, including 2008 Blue Nose winner Terry Malloy and 2008 Johnny Miles winner (in a sprint finish) Ray Moorehead of Greenwood would commit before race day Sunday. He confirmed late last week, though, that Malloy will have to miss the race due to injury and Moorehead is already committed to run in another fall marathon.

The Valley Harvest Marathon and Half-Marathon are scheduled to get underway on Main Street in Wolfville (in front of Acadia’s War Memorial Gymnasium) at 8:30 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 12.

The full marathon will make its way over the dykes as far as Kingsport before returning to Wolfville. The half-marathon will follow a similar though shorter course.

For more information on the race, including a map of the course, or to register, visit www.valleyharvestmarathon.com.