Annual event mixes long distance running with music to great success

By Bart Mendoza | Downtown News

Now in its 15th year, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon has become one of San Diego’s premier annual events, hotly anticipated by runners, health enthusiasts and music fans, alike. Since its inception, the dynamic mix of running and music has spread all over the world, with more than two dozen similar marathons now taking place each year, including events in Spain, Canada and Portugal.

There are actually three races taking place on Sunday June 3: a 26-mile Marathon, a Half Marathon, and the CareFusion 2-Person Half Marathon Relay. The action gets under way beginning at 6 a.m. at Quince Street and 6^thAvenue, on the western side of Balboa Park, and ends later that morning at Rose Marie Starns South Shores Park, near Seaworld.  Over 30,000 runners are expected, with 50 musical artists performing along the scenic route to spur them on.

While Sunday’s marathons are the main focus, there is a whole weekend of activities surrounding the races. Friday and Saturday, June 1-2, will feature a free health expo, taking place at the San Diego Convention Center. Highlights include guest speakers, such as Olympic medalists Jim Ryun and Steve Scott, and over 100 booths and displays on the convention floor. The site will also double as the location for participant registration, with over 70,000 people expected to pass through the convention center doors.

Also on Saturday, June 2, there will be a run devoted to the younger set, with ING Kids Rock, at Rose Marie Starns South Shores Park, The one mile, non-competitive, non-timed course is open to kids in grades K-7. Finally, on Sunday is the big event, featuring an end of the marathon concert starting at 8:30 a.m. with Liquid Blue, with headliner Donovan Frankenreiter appearing at 10:30 a.m.

Viewing of the bands, cheering on the runners and the headline concert are all free and open to the public.

According to Kim Messey, director of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon’s events division, the biggest challenge is coordinating all the different elements involved in what is essentially both a sporting event and music festival, with a 26 mile footprint.

“’Massive undertaking’ might actually be an understatement,” Messey said. “We shut down more than 26 miles of roads in town, which involves anything from working with traffic control companies, to barricades, to hiring of police, to putting port-a-potties and stages out along the course. And that’s just on race day.” She also notes the marathon will have 2,500 volunteers on hand this year.

Performing at the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon is considered a prime gig for area musicians. “It’s almost like playing a 30,000 person concert,” Messey said. “Just not all at the same time.”

Hundreds of groups apply each year, but the course is only able to accommodate 50 bands.  Despite the event’s name, all types of music are welcome. “We try to get a mix,” Messey stated. “It’s not all rock ‘n’ roll. We have country bands and drum bands, and just about everything in between, though we do like it to be family-friendly. Anything abrasive we would not be booking.”

While there are dozens of local performers taking part in the event, artists from out of state are also featured, including the Phoenix-based trio, Come Back Buddy, who will perform at the corner of Harbor and Pacific Highway from 6:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. The fifties inspired trio are true Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon veterans, having performed at the event in three different cities; San Diego (four times), Los Angeles (twice) and Phoenix (nine times).

“We love playing in San Diego,” said frontman Mike Randall.  “It’s a lot of fun, the weather’s always great and the people always really seem to be pumped up. The band tailors its set of classic oldies to the day’s race. “We mostly keep to the ones that the runners are inspired by, upbeat rock ‘n roll by people like Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly,” he said.

Although Come Back Buddy has been able to book further gigs through people catching their act as they ran by, Randall says he’s just happy to provide a musical soundtrack for their race. “It’s really a charge to see all the people running by the stage and they’re all excited,” he said. “The Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon has a different feel to it than playing anything else.”

For more information or to register, visit http://runrocknroll.competitor.com/.

San Diego native Bart Mendoza is an award-winning songwriter, mentor and producer through his own Blindspot Records and a longtime veteran of the local music scene. He covers music, entertainment and other San Diego related stories for numerous publications. You can reach Bart at [email protected].