The third annual Ann Arbor Marathon will soon be underway. This year however, the marathon has moved from June to March, which means that participants should begin making plans to compete right now.

The inaugural race took place in 2012, when it was held on Father’s Day. As a result, a number of area residents and business owners had to contend with certain streets being blocked off so that the event could take place. As a result, Mayor John Hieftje noted that changes to the race’s schedule needed to take place so as not to inconvenience locals.

In 2013, the race was held on a different day in June, and also included a new route in order to minimize its impact on traffic flow. Although these changes were good, race organizers felt that a switch from June to March would better benefit both the city and participants. An email blast sent to race participants from previous years showed that most people agreed that a date in late March would work best for everyone concerned.

In addition to changing the date, a number of other changes will take place in 2014 as well. The route will once again change, with the finish being on South Main Street in downtown Ann Arbor between East Liberty and East William streets. The course also begins on Main Street at the northwest corner of the “Big House,” and will run partly through the University of Michigan campus as well as along the Huron River.

There will be one 13.1-mile route for half-marathon participants, and marathon runners will be required to complete two full loops of the same course. Organizers have planned a 5k and 1.2 mile race in addition to the marathon and half-marathon.

Registration for the event is already underway, and individuals can take advantage of discounted fees for the time being. Runners may obtain registration forms by visiting the marathon’s website. An early bird discount is available from now until February 28th, 2014. A portion of these registration fees is earmarked for distribution to the Ann Arbor Public Schools Educational Foundation.

The Ann Arbor Marathon is also a qualifier for the Boston Marathon. Since the annual Ann Arbor Marathon has moved from June to March, runners who would like to participate should sign up now in order to participate in this exciting event that’s coming up on March 30th, 2014.