Why You Should Join Us at the Tri-City Medical Center Carlsbad Marathon & Half

Have you been thinking about participating in the Tri-City Medical Center Carlsbad Marathon and Half-Marathon? We encourage you to come out and join us for this exciting community health event taking place next month on Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend! Keep reading to learn more about the many reasons you’ll want to join the race, whether as a runner or as a volunteer.

The Race
The Tri-City Medical Center Carlsbad Marathon & Half will take place on Sunday, January 20, 2019. Runners have the opportunity to enjoy a scenic route along the California coastline and to receive premium race swag upon entry. There’s also an exciting Health and Lifestyle Expo before the race and a Finish Line Festival, complete with live music and beer garden.

The Carlsbad Marathon and Half is the first race of the Half Marathon Triple Crown Series, which extends through August of 2019.

Join as a RunnerParticipating in a marathon or half-marathon has several key health benefits. These include both the physical and mental side effects that you’ll experience not only from the exercise itself, but also from working towards and achieving a significant athletic goal.

Physical benefits of participating in a marathon race include:

• High levels of calorie burn that can promote significant weight loss.
• An increase in cardiovascular capacity that results from gradually adding more miles to your running load. In turn, this contributes to better overall health and lower blood pressure.
• A strengthened immune system resulting from progressive exercise.

Before you undertake any serious athletic commitment like a marathon, make sure to consult with your healthcare provider. You will need to adequately prepare with steady training and strengthening. Failing to condition your body correctly could lead to severe strain and injury, which underscores the need to train consistently over time. Sticking to a consistent schedule helps build endurance while providing motivation to hit new mileage targets each week.

Mental benefits of running a marathon or half-marathon include:

• The ability to push back negative emotions while working towards a goal.
• Decreased amounts of stress, anxiety, and mental fatigue.
• Increased confidence and feelings of immense pride in your accomplishment.
• Social connection with like-minded athletes in the running community.

Join as a Volunteer
Not quite ready to hit the pavement? No problem! Volunteers are needed to help the marathon and half-marathon run smoothly, and there are plenty of times and positions available for you to serve. When you volunteer, you’ll have the unique opportunity to give back to the health and wellness community and to offer support and encouragement to participants as they achieve their goals. You can sign up to volunteer through the Titan Volunteers website. There, you’ll find open volunteer positions that include:

• Race registration and runner check-in
• Kids marathon check-in and material distribution
• Water station and course support
• VIP hospitality
• Medal distribution, and more!

Meet the Lucky 13
Every year, 13 runners out of hundreds of applicants are selected to join the race as a member of a special group known as the Lucky 13. This group is composed of individuals who are all overcoming unique health challenges as they accomplish their goal of competing in the race. Lucky 13 members receive several exciting perks and have the opportunity to train with fitness experts at Tri-City Wellness and Fitness Center in Carlsbad in preparation of the big event.
​
“Running a half marathon is a feat that not everyone can say they’ve done, especially not at 67 years old or after beating a cancer diagnosis,” said Paul Carey, Lucky 13 Program Coordinator.
Come join this inspiring group of runners and cheer them on to the finish line as they beat the odds against setbacks, disease, and injury.

Get Moving! The Tri-City Medical Center Carlsbad Marathon and Half-Marathon promises to be an incredible opportunity to join other athletes in achieving their running goals, or to help support the running community through your donation of time and service. Follow the Tri-City Medical Center blog for updates, and we can’t wait to see you there.