Overrun By Success, Broad Street Run Switches to Registration Lottery
By Pat Loeb
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia's celebrated ten-mile race -- the "Broad Street Run" -- will move to a lottery system for registration this year.
Organizers say it's hard enough to organize your life to run ten miles -- the planning, the training, the race day logistics -- but when you have to make special plans just to register for the race, it's just not fair.
"There were quite a number that were shut out of the process because it opened and closed so fast," says Broad Street race director Jim Marino, "so we felt the lottery would be a much easier way for everybody to get involved and have an equal chance of being part of the event."
Marino expects there will be grumbles because some runners had advocated using qualifying times.
"But the Broad Street Run has always been open to all comers, as long as you can run," Marino tells KYW Newsradio.
He says the race, now in its 33rd year, is making accommodations for those who have already run at least ten prior years, but even they will have to register online between February 4th and 15th.
The lucky lottery winners will be announced Tuesday, February 18th.
The run this year is scheduled for May 5th.
