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OKC Memorial Marathon When: Sunday, 6:30 a.m.
Where: Race begins at NW Sixth and Robinson near the east gate of the OKC National Memorial.
Registration: Registration by mail and online is closed. Runners can still register Friday or Saturday at the Health and Fitness Expo downtown at the Cox Convention Center.
Serious runners can find a marathon every month of the year. Terry Baransy knows, because he's done it.
Since 1989, he's run 103 marathons -- and that will grow to 104 with Sunday's sixth annual Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon.
He is one of 60 entrants into this year's OKC Marathon who have participated in the previous five.
This year's marathon is anticipated to be the biggest yet, with 2,000 runners projected to enter the marathon alone and close to 11,000 in the five events combined.
Baransy, a native of Mooreland but a resident of San Francisco, has run all the big marathons -- New York City, Chicago and Boston among them -- and quite a few small ones.
"I ran a marathon where it was me and nine other people. It was about the only time I had a chance to finish in the top 10," Baransy joked.
Still, Baransy and many others keep coming back to Oklahoma City's growing event, most pointing to what the Memorial Marathon offers that others can not -- a purpose beyond competing, beyond winning.
"It's a special event," Baransy said. "You look up at the banners with the names of each of the 168 people who perished and it gives you a little extra push to keep running. Not only is it a good marathon, it has a significance to it."
"It's very moving," said Tracy Evans of Woodward, who was the first female finisher in the 2004 race.
"At the other marathons, you're there competing. Here, you're competing, too, but you're running for someone else."
Others pointed to the support that greets runners from the time they arrive on race day for their reason for returning.
"They have the best volunteers of any marathon I've ever done," said five-timer Scott Boggess, who has run marathons in 46 states with plans to hit all 50. "When I show up, I think 'This must be how the elite runners feel.' Everyone bends over backward for you. They're genuinely excited to have you here."
The OKC Marathon has more tangible offerings to draw runners in.
"They put a lot of thought into what they give the runners," said Boggess, who graduated from Edmond Memorial High School and now lives in Alexandria, Va. "You get two nice T-shirts. The medals are engraved on both sides. Most marathons don't do that. You get some really nice things to take away from the race.
"They do everything right."
