The rolling party

Route 66 Marathon is a global destination

Marathons are difficult. A half-marathon is 13.1 miles and a marathon is 26.2 miles. They’re brutal tests of mental stamina and physical endurance. Preparation takes months, sometimes years. But something happens along the way. People change. 

Tulsa’s 10th Annual Williams Route 66 Marathon will be no different. On November 21 and 22, thousands of first-time and return joggers will descend upon Tulsa to run themselves into the ground. 

Route 66 Marathon founder and race director Chris Lieberman understands that a marathon can be a life-changing event, and it’s in this spirit of self-actualization that he’s nurtured Route 66 into a nationally respected “destination marathon.”

“It’s amazing what an event like this can do for a city,” Lieberman said. “When there is a major marathon, people can set goals ... ‘You know, I just might be able to do a marathon or a half-marathon!’ It is a huge, lofty goal. You are going to prove things to yourself that you never dreamed you could do. And you are going to come out the other end a better, more confident individual.”

Extrapolate that personal improvement across an entire city and you get a healthier, stronger, more confident community, which is exactly what Lieberman set out to achieve when he founded the Marathon.

“If 500 Tulsans a year are doing their first marathon, what kind of effect is that going to have?” Lieberman said. “They might not be afraid to start a new business. Or show their boss the Glow-in-the-Dark Cat Hat.” 

So what sets Route 66 apart from other marathons? 

For starters, attention to the casual runner over the Olympic gazelles. 

“The overall feel of the race is what it is famous for,” Lieberman continued. “A lot of races are mostly about the fastest runners. And for us, it has never been about the front of the pack; it has been about the middle of the pack.”

For this reason, the Route 66 Marathon pays no prize money—its focus is on the health and fitness of the masses, not attracting elite runners. This year’s 10th anniversary participants will receive a pirate’s booty in free swag, including a sweet jacket and an art deco finisher’s medal, among other things. 

“To me it is much more inspiring to see your neighbor finish a marathon than an elite athlete,” Lieberman said. “It makes it seem possible for anyone to do it.”

This attention to the amateur marathoner or half-marathoner has resonated worldwide. This year will find every state in the union represented along with Washington D.C. and 12 nations from China to Uruguay. 

Early on, in a show of progressive thinking, Lieberman reached out to several key marathon groups: Marathon Maniacs, the Half Fanatics and the 50 States Marathon Clubs. These are marathoners who run a marathon or half-marathon every weekend—true ambassadors of the sport. “These are the people who encourage others to run,” Lieberman continued. “We want to take care of them. They’ve earned it. This year over 2,000 members of these clubs are coming to Tulsa to run our marathon.” 

As a result, these groups have become ambassadors for the Route 66 Marathon and, by extension, Tulsa. But what is the value of this word-of-mouth publicity? 

“We are known as being one of the most fun races out there,” Lieberman said. “Most of it has to do with Tulsans out on the course cheering on the racers and having a good time.” Indeed, the marathon is a rolling party through the heart of our city, and Tulsans respond in kind. 

“I have heard it said that a participant can get more beer on our course than any course in the world,” Lieberman added with a begrudging smile. “It is not endorsed by the marathon in any way! People are going to do what they are going to do. If someone wants to set up a ‘Free Beer’ stand in their driveway, it’s up to the participants to decide. We can’t keep them from doing it.”

What he and the Marathon can endorse is the money the event rolls into our city’s coffers. The Marathon’s expected economic impact is in the range of  $7-8 million, with an estimated 5,000 Tulsa hotel rooms booked for participants over the weekend. 

“We have a lot going on in Tulsa,” Lieberman said. “We get thousands of people here who are going to take an intimate street-level tour of our city. And that’s priceless as far as changing impressions.”

The route takes runners through the Brady District, the Blue Dome District, Brookside and along the Gathering Place construction. 

“What other event gets this amount of people from out of town, taking a running/walking tour of Tulsa? That’s why we started doing it,” he concluded.  “That’s why we are going to keep doing it.”

For more from Andy, read his article on Bike Club!