Runners are converging Sunday on Allentown for the first St. Luke’s Half Marathon and 5K since 2019.
The coronavirus pandemic canceled both the 2020 race scheduled for the traditional date on the last Sunday in April and the 2021 event that had been pushed back to October before being called off.
Now in its 37th year, and billed as the Lehigh Valley’s oldest distance race, the 2022 half marathon and companion 5K has drawn more than 2,000 entrants, organizers said this week.
“We encourage residents along and near the course to come out and support the runners with their cheers,” the event’s co-race director Leslie Billowitch said in a news release. “It’s a remarkable, inspiring sight to see thousands of runners tackling 13.1 miles in the spirit of friendly competitiveness and camaraderie. Every shout of encouragement along the way is welcome.”
The following streets along the St. Luke’s Half Marathon and 5K courses will be closed between 7:30 and 11:30 a.m. Sunday, with detours posted and police on hand to direct traffic, organizers announced:
- Linden Street (which becomes Broadway) between 17th Street and Ott Street (closed until 11:30 a.m.).
- Broadway between Ott Street and Cedar Crest Blvd. — closed between 8 a.m. and 8:40 a.m. for the St. Luke’s 5K race.
- Ott Street between Broadway and Hamilton Boulevard (reopens about 9 a.m.).
- Hamilton Boulevard between 21st and 22nd streets (sporadic closures).
- Yocco Drive.
- Reading Road/Walnut Street between Yocco Drive and St. Elmo Street.
- South St. Elmo Street.
- Union Street at the St. Elmo Street intersection.
- Lehigh Parkway East between Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and Lehigh Parkway North, and Lehigh Parkway north at the entrance to the Lehigh Parkway trail.
- Park Drive in the Lehigh Parkway park.
- Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. between St. Elmo Street and South Third Street and the roads that intersect with Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., including the ramps to 15th Street, South 10th Street, Lehigh Street and West Union Street near Parkettes.
The races are scheduled to step off at 8 a.m. for the 5K followed by the half marathon at 8:10 a.m., both from William Allen High School at 18th and Linden streets. The half marathon and 5K finish in J. Birney Crum Stadium. The 5K winner will finish at about 8:15 a.m., the half marathon male winner at about 9:15 a.m. and the female winner at about 9:25 a.m.
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