Williams Route 66 Marathon

Mile by mile Casey Bunch is transforming herself.

"I loved being able to test my body," said the 22-year-old. "Learning to run one mile was so difficult, then it became two, three and so on. That feeling of accomplishment is amazing."

Bunch started running just this year and after completing two 5K races and an 8K distance race, she was ready to increase her mileage and push herself even harder. The Williams Route 66 Quarter Marathon presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma was the perfect opportunity and the perfect distance - at approximately 6.05 miles or just under 10 kilometers.

Bunch tweeted a photo of herself crossing the finish line to qualify for a free registration to one of the Williams Route 66 Marathon races in November. As a result, she was selected and now has a new challenge to meet - train for and finish a half marathon in November.

This will be the Cleveland, Okla., native's longest distance to date, but she's depending on race day encouragement to help get her across the finish line.  

"The other runners are so encouraging and even volunteers helping out will give you that boost of encouragement that you need to just keep going when you think you are going to die," said Bunch.

Make plans to join Bunch on November 21 for any of the race day events by registering online at route66marathon.com before prices increase after September 30, 2010.

Shortly after Travis Owens began running he was encouraged by his friend to set a goal to run a marathon.

"At the time I thought he was nuts, but decided to do one anyway," said Owens. "The 2008 Route 66 Marathon was my first race ever. I chose it because it was close to home and my friend was running the half too."

Since completing the half marathon in 2008, the Tahlequah native has also completed four marathons, one of which was the last year's Williams Route 66 Marathon, and two ultra marathons.

The 46-year-old credits the Tulsa atmosphere for making the Route 66 Marathon an event worth repeating.

"Tulsa has great crowds that come out and support the runners," said Owens.

And Owens hopes those crowds will support him this year as he tries to break a 03:50 time for a new personal record.

For a chance to win your own free registration and have your photo appear on the website, post or tweet a picture of you in any of the Williams Route 66 Marathon shirts at any race besides the Route 66 races. And be sure to tell us when and where it was taken. A new winner will be chosen each month.

The directors of Tulsa Route 66 Marathon, Inc., are pleased to announce St. John Health System as the new presenting sponsor of the Williams Route 66 Marathon Health, Fitness and Sustainability Expo.  The Williams Route 66 Marathon, held on Nov. 21, 2010, benefits the Tulsa Area United Way.

The Williams Route 66 Marathon Health, Fitness and Sustainability Expo, presented by St. John Health System, hosts more than 50 exhibitors featuring sports, fitness and sustainability items.  Packet pickup for all participants and volunteers is also located at the expo. Held at the Tulsa Convention Center, the two-day expo is free and open to the public.

“St. John Health System’s long-standing commitment to the health and wellness of our community makes this partnership with the Williams Route 66 Marathon a natural fit,” said David Pynn, St. John Health System chief operating officer.  “We are pleased to be a part of an event which motivates individuals of all ages and athletic capabilities to lead a healthy lifestyle.”

More than 20,000 people are expected to attend the expo this year.  In addition to the exhibitors, attendees can view health-related seminars and obtain free health screenings and immunizations at the expo.

“In our fifth year of the Williams Route 66 Marathon, we are pleased to be gaining recognition as a world-class marathon,” said Chris Lieberman, executive director of Tulsa Route 66 Marathon, Inc.  “We strive to promote healthy lifestyles to Tulsa and Oklahoma, and are proud to partner with St. John Health System to promote better living in our community.”

Expo hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 19, 2010; and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 20, 2010.  The expo is located at the Tulsa Convention Center, 100 Civic Center, Tulsa, Okla., 74103.  The Williams Route 66 Marathon is presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Oklahoma.

About the Williams Route 66 Marathon

The Williams Route 66 Marathon in Tulsa, Okla., is set for Sunday, Nov. 21, 2010, and the Williams Route 66 Quarter Marathon is Saturday, Aug. 7, 2010.  Events are held annually the Sunday before Thanksgiving and the first Saturday in August, respectively.  The fifth anniversary of the Williams Route 66 Marathon weekend includes a two-day health and fitness expo, pasta dinner, marathon, half marathon, five-person marathon relay, 5K run/walk, and a one-mile fun run/walk.  Post-race festivities include concerts and a classic car show.  To learn more about the events, sponsoring, training or volunteering, please e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , call (918) 409-2828, or visit www.route66marathon.com and www.quartermarathon.com.

About St. John Health System

St. John Health System is an 84-year-old, not-for-profit Catholic healthcare system founded by the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother.

St John Health System operates hospitals in Tulsa, Owasso, Sapulpa and Bartlesville.  A fifth hospital is currently under construction in Broken Arrow.   Other subsidiaries of St. John Health System include OMNI Medical Group primary care physicians, St. John Physicians, Inc. multi-specialty group physician practice; St. John Urgent Care Centers, St. John Villas Senior Living Centers and medical complexes in South Tulsa and Claremore.

Tulsa People magazine has partnered with the 2010 Williams Route 66 Marathon to offer a marathon training guide for its readership.

Check out the July issue of Tulsa People for a special section exclusively catered toward helping inspire, motivate and prepare you for this year's race.

Also included in the guide is the story of how the marathon, now in its fifth year, got its start. You can also find the story of the marathon's history online at www.tulsapeople.com.

The 2010 Williams Route 66 Marathon training gear is on sale now and available for purchase on online at route66marathon.com

The shirts are made of high quality, New Balance technical fabric to help keep you cool and dry during the summer training months.

Both mens and ladies styles and sizes are available in several cuts and colors including short-sleeved and sleeveless in white and red for men and white and pink for ladies.

Also, a limited quantity of 2009 logo merchandise is still available for purchase at a 50 percent discount.

As the marathon nears, our 2010 Run Ambassadors will bring you all the good, bad and entertaining details of their route to completing the half marathon and marathon in November.

 

Cary Aspinwall and Jason Ashley Wright are novice athletes with a shared desire to be healthy and fit thus inspiring them to lace up their running shoes and set some audacious goals.

 

To learn more about Aspinwall and Wright and for links to their blogs visit the Williams Route 66 Marathon website page here.

 

You can also follow our Ambassadors on their personal Twitter pages. Follow Aspinwall @fitguineapig and Wright @JAWrightTulsa.

Utah resident Jason Howard won a free registration into the Williams Route 66 Marathon by posting a photo of him and his daughter, Katja, crossing the finish line at the Ogden Marathon and Kids K in Ogden, Utah, last month. 

In the photo posted on Facebook, Howard was donning his finisher’s shirt from the 2006 inaugural Route 66 Marathon, which qualified him for the free registration contest.  The inaugural race was also his first marathon.

Since then Howard has completed 18 marathons and eight half marathons.

“I hope to make this year’s race my 20^th overall,” said Howard in his Facebook post.

Howard, 33, resides in West Valley, Utah, and said his motivation for distance running was simply his desire to set a life goal and accomplish something relatively unique to the rest of the population. With that idea in mind, Howard began searching for a race and was attracted to the Route 66 Marathon because of the slogan “make our first marathon your first marathon.”

“Plus I had never been to Oklahoma and it was a good excuse to travel somewhere new,” said Howard. “I also really liked the idea of a special medal for first time finishers. That is something unique to this race and to this day it is my favorite medal.”

With the free registration, Howard hopes to make the fifth annual Williams Route 66 Marathon his 20^th marathon with a personal goal of having a good time.

For a chance to win your own free registration and have your photo appear on the website, post or tweet a picture of you in any of the Williams Route 66 Marathon shirts at any race besides the Route 66 races. Be sure to include when and where it was taken. A new winner will be chosen each month.  You can enter once per month with photos from different events.

Members of the Tulsa Route 66 Marathon, Inc., board of directors unveiled the new logo for the Williams Route 66 Marathon and Williams Route 66 Quarter Marathon this week.
 
The previous logo was a design based on last year's award-winning medal while the new logo utilizes a modern design and incorporates the date of the marathon and the new presenting sponsor Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma. The new medal design will be used in conjunction with the logo after it's unveiled at the Williams Route 66 Quarter Marathon on August 7.

August is just around the corner, meaning it's time to begin training for the Williams Route 66 Quarter Marathon on August 7, 2010.
 
Luckily, there are several training programs in Tulsa to help you prepare whether you're running the 1-mile fun run, 5k, quarter marathon or "the double" (quarter marathon and 5k.)

Gaylen Urie's Williams Route 66 Marathon fan status paid off this month when he participated in a contest that earned him a free registration to any of the Williams Route 66 Marathon associated runs in November.
 
Urie entered the contest to win a free registration when he posted a photo on the marathon's Facebook page of him in a Williams Route 66 Marathon shirt at the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon on April 25, 2010. Urie's photo will also be featured on the website at www.route66marathon.com. This was the first of two photo submissions from Urie with the second taken during the Second Annual Michael J. Garner Renal Run on May 1, 2010, in downtown Tulsa.  
 
Last year was the Sapulpa resident's first year to participate in the Route 66 Marathon event when he took part in the 5k run while his wife ran as part of a relay team.  Urie sites his wife as a motivator for signing up for last year's event.
 
"I ran in high school," said Urie. "Now I need to try to keep up with my wife."

A half marathon is the next target in Urie's sites and he says his only goal is to finish.
 
For a chance to win a free registration and have your photo appear on the website, post or tweet a picture of you in any of the Williams Route 66 Marathon shirts at any race besides the Route 66 races. And be sure to tell us when and where it was taken. A new winner will be chosen each month.  You can enter once per month with photos from different events.