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Natural Awakenings Dallas -Fort Worth Metroplex Edition

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BMW Dallas Marathon and Health & Wellness Expo

The 47th BMW Dallas Marathon, Half Marathon and SMU Cox School of Business Relay on December 10 are getting a new course for 2017 that honors its origins by including a nine-mile lap around White Rock Lake. The new course includes a number of city landmarks, including Reunion Tower, Dealey Plaza and the American Airlines Center. Marathon organizers worked with city of Dallas officials, the Dallas Police Department and DART to finalize the course, which will be certified to distance by USA Track & Field. There is also a new a competitive 5K and 10K race on December 9.

Race officials focused on enhancing the runner experience, including adding more downhill miles toward the end of the race and creating a more scenic route for participants and spectators in the updated course design. It features a nod to the race’s history: for the first time since 2011, marathon participants will complete the 9.3-mile full loop around White Rock Lake, site of the original Dallas Marathon in 1971.

“We worked to create a more dynamic course this year that will be entertaining for runners and spectators,” says President Paul Lambert. “Moving the start/finish line to Dallas City Hall gives us an amazing backdrop, as well as more opportunities to program pre-race entertainment and post-race celebrations than we have had in years past. From the start to the finish, we want to ensure that all 13.1 or 26.2 miles of our race energizes participants.” The Dallas City Hall footprint will allow the race to accommodate expanded participant fields in future years.

Marathon and half-marathon participants will run together for the first nine miles. Marathon runners will break off and pass through Lakewood to White Rock Lake, where they will run around the lake. Once runners exit White Rock Lake from trails along the lake’s Southwest side, they will follow a downhill stretch along historic Swiss Avenue through the Deep Ellum neighborhood before returning to the finish line at Young Street and Akard Street in front of Dallas City Hall.

Other weekend festivities include the Health & Fitness Expo on December 8 and 9 at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center located at 650 S. Griffin St.in Dallas. This event is filled with merchandise, information and exhibits related to the running, fitness and health industries. The Expo will serve as the official packet pick-up location for all runners. The Expo will also have Dallas’ only indoor BMW test drive experience, with attendees of driving age eligible to test drive the new BMW i3 all-electric vehicle.

Admission to the Expo is free. Registration for the 2017 BMW Dallas Marathon, Half Marathon, SMU Cox School of Business Relay and BMW Weekend Series is currently available. For more information, visit DallasMarathon.com.