The Deseret News Marathon and 10K will be entering a new era this year.
The Deseret News is taking steps to upgrade the race from one of regional stature to one of national stature as it celebrates its 25th year for the marathon (and 11th for the 10K)."We're proud to be associated with this fine event," noted Wm. James Mortimer, publisher of the Deseret News. "We feel it's important to have a healthy lifestyle both spiritually and physically. I'm told by those who have competed in marathons and 10Ks that the Deseret News provides a healthy challenge in both events."
For the first time there will be a race director to oversee the events. He is Doug Padilla, two-time Olympian and former BYU All-American. Padilla's immediate goal "is to make this as fine an event for runners as possible."
LDS athletes like Padilla have played a big part in the colorful history of the Deseret News marathon and 10K. Padilla is a former Deseret News 10K champion, winning the 1985 race in 29:04. He has not run competitively for the last year and a half due to illness but recently resumed training.
Other big-name LDS runners have already registered for both races, including Demetrio Cabanillas, Mr. Deseret News Marathon, who has won the marathon nine times, and is returning for the event's silver anniversary.
