ANN ARBOR – The Probility Ann Arbor Marathon will return for its 10th run on Oct. 24.
The event received approval from Ann Arbor City Council on July 20 after it was canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic and postponed this year from March to the fall.
The event features a full marathon, half-marathon, a 10K and a 5K. Local event company Epic Races organizes the event each year and selects area charities to support with fundraising efforts.
“This year we are having a charity takeover,” CEO of Epic Races Eva Solomon said in a release. “In partnership with the Rotary Club, we are committing all our fundraising efforts to organizations that help and support mental health and/or issues associated with mental health, and which play an active role in reducing the stigma around mental illness. We are currently supporting 20 local charities and are taking applications through the end of this month. Our tagline this year is E-Race the Stigma.”
“We started this partnership with Epic Races at the end of 2019 when issues surrounding mental health were a huge problem,” Mental Health District Coordinator for Ann Arbor’s Rotary Club chapter 6380, Collyer Smith, said in a release.
“At that time, of course, we did not know what was coming. The coronavirus pandemic and the continued spread of illegal Fentanyl took a devastating toll on drug users: drug overdoses soared to a record 93,000 last year, followed by a staggering increase in fatalities. It is important to increase awareness and to educate, and we hope to do what we can through this event.”
The 26.2 mile course covers downtown Ann Arbor, Gallup Park, Nichols Arboretum and University of Michigan’s campus.
“We love our course any time of year,” Solomon said in a release. “But March has always brought challenges of icy roads and beginnings of construction projects. I am excited to be able to focus on the fall foliage and course entertainment!”
All events will begin at 8 a.m. on South Fifth Street between Hill and Madison, where the finish line will also be.
To learn more or to register, visit www.annarbormarathon.com.