Syracuse.com - Majority of runners for this weekend's Syracuse Half Marathon are female

[HuntingNY-News]

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Nearly 70 percent of the entrants are women.

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<div id="asset-14506991" class="entry_widget_large entry_widget_right"><span class="adv-photo-large"><img src="/static/common/img/blank.gif" class="lazy adv-photo" data-original="http://media.syracuse.com/outdoors/photo/2013-03-24-sdc-halfmarathon2jpg-1ee16be5973a684a.jpg" alt="2013-03-24-sdc-halfmarathon2.JPG" /><span class="photo-data"><span class="caption">Fred Joslyn was last year's male winner at 1:06:28.</span><span class="byline">Stephen D. Cannerelli [email protected]</span></span></span> </div>

<p>SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- More than 1,600 runners have entered the Syracuse Half Marathon, which begins at 8 a.m. Saturday in front of the Oncenter in downtown Syracuse.</p>

<p>At this point, the majority of those registered are female - nearly 70 percent, said Rick Street, the race director.</p>

<p>Streeter said half marathons are a popular race with women here and elsewhere. He noted that training groups for the event offered by Fleet Feet Sports in Syracuse and the YMCA appear to be mostly composed of women.</p>

<p>This is the second year the event is being held. Last year's field numbered 1,137.</p>

<p>"I predicted earlier this year we'd hit 2,000 because of all the great feedback we got from last year's race," said, noting the recent wintry weather may be factor in the registrations being a little less than expected.</p>

<p>Last year's male and female winners were Fred Joslyn, of East Syracuse, at 1:06:28 (an average pace of 5:05 per mile), and Trisha Byler, of Rochester , 1:23:14 (an average pace of 6:22 per mile).</p>

<div id="asset-14507094" class="entry_widget_large entry_widget_right"><span class="adv-photo-large"><img src="/static/common/img/blank.gif" class="lazy adv-photo" data-original="http://media.syracuse.com/outdoors/photo/14507094-large.jpg" alt="2013-03-24-sdc-halfmarathon3.JPG" /><span class="photo-data"><span class="caption">Trisha Byler, of Rochester, was the top female finisher last year at 1:23:14.</span><span class="byline">Stephen D. Cannerelli [email protected]</span></span></span> </div>

<p> The course takes competitors along a circular route within the city of Syracuse.</p>

<p>"It's not an out and back thing. It's a full circle," Streeter said. "The race will go through 128 intersections. We have 82 police officers from the Onondaga Sheriff's and the city of Syracuse helping out."</p>

<p>Streeter said about 85 percent of those registered are local runners, with the remainder from outside the area. He said runners are coming from 22 different states, in addition to Canada.</p>

<p>The early entry fee was $55. The entry fee is $65.</p>

<p>Following the race, competitors will be treated inside the Oncenter to live music and a hot breakfast featuring pancakes, bacon and sausage.</p>

<p>See the race's<a href="http://syracusehalf.com/"> website</a> for more information.</p>

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View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog