Downtown streets will be filled with runners and spectators Sunday morning for the 18th annual Buffalo Marathon.
New this year is the Ruffalo Stampede, a 1K race for dogs and their owners. That race, which sold out in less than a month, will take place in front of the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center Saturday at 12:30 p.m. The registration fees for the event raised $10,000 to help fund a new K-9 officer for the Buffalo Police Department in honor of fallen Lt. Craig Lehner. The Lehner family and his former partner, K-9 Shield, will be there at the finish line.
Here’s everything runners, spectators and those who want to avoid the crowds need to know about race weekend:
Runners:
· Packets for the marathon can be picked up starting at 9 a.m. Saturday inside the convention center.
· Participants can begin lining up for the race in the corral at 5:45 a.m. Sunday morning.
· The race begins and ends in front of the convention center and will start at 6:30 a.m. sharp.
· There will be 110 porta potties spread out through the course of the race.
· The 26.2-mile race course will remain open until 12:30 p.m.; the half marathon course will close at 10 a.m.
· The post-race party takes place on the second floor of the convention center, from 8:15 a.m. until 1:30 p.m.
Spectators:
· Recommended locations for watching the race include
o Spot Coffee at the intersection of Chippewa and Delaware;
o Near Forest Lawn Cemetery at Delaware and Lafayette or Chapin Parkway and Delavan Street
o In Delaware Park at Nottingham Road near Delaware
· The best place to meet your runner is at the Official Family Reunion Area outside the convention center.
· Remember: Bicycles are not permitted along the race route.
· If you’re watching from home, you’re encouraged to put out sprinklers to help cool off the runners as temperatures are expected to be warmer than usual for race day.
If you want to avoid the race:
· Roads will start to close early at 4:30 a.m. Sunday, with all roads reopened by 2 p.m. Downtown streets will remain closed the longest; streets near Delaware Park will reopen by 1:30 p.m.
· Avoid the area near the convention center starting Saturday night.