UPDATED: White Rock Marathon is no more

by Sarah Blaskovich

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It's now just Dallas Marathon.

DALLAS — For more than 40 years, Dallas' longest-running marathon was the White Rock Marathon. "The Rock" has now been renamed to the more simple Dallas Marathon. The 26.2 mile race is Sunday, December 9, 2012.

We reported in March 2012 that the route had changed, moving from Fair Park to a start at the Dallas Omni Hotel, with pre- and post-race activities at the Dallas Convention Center in downtown Dallas.

Despite the name change, White Rock Lake will still be a “key element” of the route, organizers say, but it'll also now run under the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge and past Klyde Warren Park.

The new name puts the city of Dallas' new landmarks center stage and means the marathon can compete with other major city runs like the Boston Marathon and the New York City Marathon.

“The Dallas Marathon name is more consistent with naming conventions of other top city races around the world and is expected to be more recognizable to out-of-town participants, who may not be familiar with White Rock Lake,” reads a press release.

Registration for the race begins June 1, 2012, and it's expected to sell out. Last year, about 25,000 runners participated.

Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings said the race is an important tourism event for Dallas. “This race is a major contributor to the city’s economy, filling room nights and restaurants during a time that is otherwise quiet for meetings and conventions,” he said in a statement.

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UPDATED: The full marathon course begins on Main Street in downtown Dallas near the Old Red Museum. It finishes in front of the Dallas Convention Center.

Runners will still go around part of White Rock Lake, but they'll also run over the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, through the Arts District by Klyde Warren Park, and through parts of Deep Ellum, University Park and Highland Park, Lakewood and Swiss Avenue, and Uptown and downtown Dallas.

Here's a map, with slight changes as of September 11, 2012:

The maximum number of participants are: 6,000 for the marathon, 13,000 for the half, and 6,000 for the relay. Registration is open now, and fees increase on August 1 and again on October 16. Price for the marathon is $130 as of October 16, and price for the half marathon is $110.

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