Halifax launches new running series

Plans are underway to organize a second marathon in the Halifax area and bring a women’s-only 5K back to the region.

United by Running, a company founded by local runners Michelle Kempton and Stacy Chestnutt, is also planning a half-marathon relay to cap their series of three new races.

The 2012 United by Running season will begin with the Sole Sisters 5K in June, a women’s-only event that will take place on a summer evening, instead of the traditional early-morning start.

The Maritime Marathon, set for September, will run along a coastline route and have a pirate theme for 5K, 10K, half-marathon and marathon distances. There will also be a beer garden. “It’s sure to excite everyone, especially with booty (cash prizes) at the finish line,” organizers said in a release.

Halifax already has the Blue Nose Marathon in May, which began in 2004. However, that race has seen more than its fair share of inclement weather, with a chilly nor’easter forcing route changes one year. Organizers of the new Maritime Marathon are banking on mild fall weather in September to be a key selling point.

The season wraps with the Lucky Seven Relay in November, a three-person half-marathon relay of roughly 7K each.  Organizers are promising plenty of prizes and jackpots for those who finish seventh, 77th or 777th.

Visit the United by Running website or email info@unitedbyrunning.com for more information.