HARTFORD, Conn. — The Eversource Hartford Marathon and Half Marathon are expected to bring 7,000 people to the capital city on Saturday, and officials said they're prepared and hoping that the event will help their local economy.
Many runners are coming from across the country and heading to Connecticut for the first time.
“We’re going to kind of see what the city is about a bit more today but it’s been great," said Drew Prentice, a marathon runner from Atlanta.
Prentice and his family and friends have always wanted to visit the state. However, if it wasn't for the marathon, the pull may not have been as strong.
"I'm not sure what would have drawn us here but, right now the marathon is definitely the main attraction I think this weekend," Prentice said.
Part of the race is meant to boost tourism in the area. When people come to Hartford for the race, they stay in local hotels and visit restaurants along the way.
"That’s what it’s all about it’s about not only having all the people together but the spinoff you know that’s where you really see the economic spin-off," said David Griggs the President and CEO of Metro Hartford Alliance.
The marathon was a virtual run last year. It's one of the largest events to come to Hartford in almost two years. There are new routes to the 5K, Marathon, and Half Marathon, much of it puts the city's history on display.
“Long-time residents could walk past the same plaque that’s been on a wall forever and not really realize that it’s commemorating George Washington coming here to Hartford to fund the American Revolution, right? Those are the kinds of things that out runners are going to be running by," Griggs said.
And the runners will be getting back to what they've been missing.
“For me, running is kind of therapeutic," said Joe Aaron, a marathon runner from Atlanta. "I get away from everything, I can listen to music and just go for a run and it balances me out.”
"As difficult as it is, it keeps drawing you back over and over and over again," Prentice said.
The same way many hope the marathon draws people back to Connecticut each year.
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Julia LeBlanc is a reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jleblanc@fox61.com Follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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