First-ever companion race will feature a railroad-themed course, Steamtown National Historic Site start and finish, and steam train ride to marathon race expo for registered runners.
Scranton, PA – For the first time in its 31-year history, the Steamtown Marathon will add a companion race to marathon weekend with the inaugural Steamtown Shortline, a 2.62-mile foot race scheduled for Saturday, October 10 at 9:00 a.m.
The race will start and finish inside Steamtown National Historic Site, in front of Steamtown’s iconic Union Pacific “Big Boy” No. 4012 steam locomotive. The course will take runners along several blocks of Downtown Scranton streets before spending most of its 2.62 miles on paved trails developed and managed by the Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority.
Following the race, participants are invited to tour Steamtown National Historic Site. At 10:30 a.m., registered Steamtown Shortline runners may board Steamtown National Historic Site’s Baldwin Locomotive Works No. 26 steam train for a ride from the Park to the Steamtown Marathon race expo at the University of Scranton’s Byron Recreation Complex.
Family and friends of Steamtown Shortline runners can purchase tickets for the steam train ride.
The train will depart the Expo at 12:00 p.m. for the return trip to Steamtown National Historic Site.
“We’re excited to welcome runners to Steamtown National Historic Site and give them an opportunity to experience Scranton’s railroad heritage in a very different way,” said Jeremy Komasz, Superintendent of Steamtown National Historic Site and a member of the Steamtown Shortline race committee. “Starting and finishing among these historic locomotives provides a setting you simply won’t find at most road races. After the race, participants can explore the park, and those who choose to ride the steam train to the Marathon Expo will get another memorable introduction to the railroad history that played such an important role in shaping Scranton and Northeastern Pennsylvania.”
Organizers expect the Shortline to attract both runners who want to race the unusual 2.62-mile distance and participants in the 26.2-mile Steamtown Marathon, which will be held the following morning, Sunday, October 11.
“For marathoners, an easy run the day before a race can be a great way to loosen up the legs and settle some of those pre-race nerves,” said race committee member Justin Gagliardi. “At 2.62 miles, the Shortline is an ideal distance for a relaxed shakeout run. Marathon participants can enjoy the atmosphere, take in the railroad setting, and save their real racing for Sunday.”
The $26.20 entry fee is itself a tribute to the marathon’s 26.2-mile distance. All Steamtown Shortline finishers will receive a special railroad-themed keepsake, and participants will also be invited to select a complimentary Steamtown Marathon volunteer shirt from past marathons.
Awards will be presented to the top three male and top three female finishers.
“The Shortline gives us a chance to add something completely different to Steamtown Marathon weekend,” said Lynn Dzielak, a member of the race committee. “Some people will come to compete, some will use it as their marathon shakeout run, and others will simply want to experience a fun, unusual distance in a setting that is uniquely Scranton.”
The Steamtown Shortline race committee includes Jeremy Komasz, Steamtown National Historic Site Superintendent; Gagliardi, Dzielak, Dr. Paul Friedman, and Pat McKnight, Steamtown National Historic Site Historian.
Registration for the Steamtown Shortline is available at RunSignUp.com on the Steamtown Marathon registration page. The race begins at 9:00 a.m. Saturday, October 10, at Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton.