OC Marathon Preview: There’s recovery drink beer this year
After some controversy in the 2014 Orange County Marathon, race director Gary Kutscher probably could’ve used a beer. The initial overall winner, Mohamed Fadil, was disqualified for receiving assistance or advice while participating in the race.
This year, Kutscher said there will be more race officials throughout the marathon and there will be more electronic mats to make sure no one cuts the course. Still there will be beer at the finish line, just in case.
Of course, it’s non-alcoholic beer, Erdinger, a recovery drink that will be available for runners after the marathon.
Kutscher talked about the German beer as one of a few new concepts at the 11th annual U.S. Bank OC Marathon, that takes place Sunday morning, starting at Fashion Island, going through Newport Beach, Irvine and Santa Ana, before ending at the OC Fair and Event Center in Costa Mesa.
There will be an Oktoberfest-type garden near the finish line that will feature Erdinger.
“It has more recovery drink properties than most other recovery drinks out there,” Kutscher said. “They are very big in Germany and at the Berlin Marathon. We are fortunate to have them on board as a beer sponsor. We still have Gatorade and chocolate drinks for recovery drinks, too.”
Also after the race, there will be the NUTRILITE Finish Line Festival, dubbed, “The Ultimate Party,” featuring 80s cover band Flashback Heart Attack.
In addition to the marathon, there will be a half-marathon and the Wahoo’s OC 5K.
Flashback Heart Attack, an Orange County-based band, will play with Wally Palmar of the Romantics, as well as Annabella Lwin of Bow Wow Wow, Nick Richards of Boys Don’t Cry and Clive Farrington of When In Rome.
“The runners and fans should expect the most visually exciting, sonically sounding high energy rock show that can possibly be played at 10 a.m.,” said Flashback Heart Attack’s guitarist, who goes by Don Bronze and lives in Costa Mesa.
Events for the OC Marathon started on Friday with the Allergan Health & Fitness Expo at the OC Fair and Event Center.
The expo also takes place on Saturday morning, when the Kids Run The OC event is also featured.
The Kids Run The OC event is its largest ever with over 6,000 kids running from 92 schools in the area, starting at 8 a.m.
The OC Marathon will also feature elite runners, including Melissa Mead, 35, a former Newport Harbor High standout.
Mead’s personal record is 2 hours, 24 minutes.
Jose Merino, 38, of Tarzana is also an elite runner whose personal record is 2:29:00.
Kutscher said the OC Marathon will have its largest winning purse this year, up to $25,000 for runners who also meet certain trial times and qualifications.
Defending champions return, including Stephen Shay of Huntington Beach (2:23:09), Bonnie Axman of Imperial Beach (2:45:56, course record), Ivan Medina of Hayward (1:08:41, half-marathon) and Allison Delancey of Gilbert, Ariz. (1:20:22, half-marathon).
“There are more charities involved this year,” Kutscher said of another new concept of the OC Marathon. “We are really trying to create more energy toward fundraising than in the past. We would like to see more participation in that way.”
Road closures and delays for the race begin at 5 a.m. For more information visit www.ocmarathon.com.