The Mercedes-Benz Marathon Weekend announced Monday afternoon that its event planned for February 2023 will be the last.
The Mercedes-Benz Marathon Weekend of Events in Birmingham has been held annually for the past 21 years. It is a Boston Marathon qualifying race and has previously hosted the U.S. Men’s Marathon Trials.
Since its inception, over 200,000 runners have participated in the marathon, raising over $6 million for charities such as the Bell Center, which provides early intervention services for children under the age of three.
Now, the marathon is citing increased production costs and a lack of support as reasons it will not continue after 2023.
The final event will begin Friday, Feb. 10, 2023, and end on Sunday, Feb. 12, with registration starting that Friday and multiple races taking place Saturday morning, including the 5K, Bell Center EIP Children’s Run and the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama Kids Mercedes-Benz Marathon. Runners will begin at Linn Park.
There will be a non-denominational worship service that Sunday, hosted by South Highland Presbyterian Church, followed by a half-marathon and marathon relay. The event will conclude with a post-race block party hosted by Jim ‘N Jick’s.
“We hope this year will be the biggest and best race weekend we’ve ever put on, and we can’t wait to give participants an incredible experience,” said Valerie McLean Cuddy, the event’s founder. “We hope the future holds plans for other events to come that will benefit the Bell Center.”
“It has been an honor to put our name and faith behind what has become one of the biggest, most talked about races in the southeast,” said Mercedes-Benz US International Inc. CEO Michael Gobel.
To become a runner, you can register online. Registration fees range from $35 to $275. You can also donate to the Bell Center at the event registration.
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