With the final weeks of online registration nearing, volunteers for course marshals are still needed and corporate race competitors are still encouraged to participate. Monument Marathon Race Director Jennifer Reisig, who also serves as the WNCC Foundation executive director, said she is excited for the 13th annual event to take place on Saturday, Sept. 28.
The marathon events start at 7:30 a.m., with the half-marathon, 5K relay and half-marathon relay start at Five Rocks Amphitheater and the marathon beginning at the Wildcat Hills Recreation Area.
The marathon, which began in 2012, is the major annual fundraiser for the Western Nebraska Community College Foundation. "The foundation board was really looking for a signature event (that) we could do year after year that would not only support WNCC students, but be a real benefit for the whole community," Reisig said. Reisig mentioned four reasons why the marathon was started as a fundraiser over other options.
"(We wanted to) promote the beauty of the area, to build tourism, to encourage a healthy lifestyle and to support WNCC students," she said. "All proceeds from this race stay right here in the Panhandle." To date, the foundation has raised $557,000 for WNCC students.
"We're on pace this year to bring in more than $50,000 again with with this event," Reisig said. With an average of 500-600 runners that travel to the area for the race, Reisig is already set in that area with 501 runners registered. "We have runners registere.