Marathoners Reach Deal With Earth Day Planners

One park was the source of contention.

Runners are normally considered to be friends of the environment, but that is not necessarily the case in the gambling town of Reno, Nevada. According to an article in the Reno Gazette Journal, planners for the city’s Rock-n-River Marathon were promised use of the same park as the organizers of the city’s Earth Day celebration.

Both events are to take place in the city’s Idlewild Park on May 1.

However, the two groups eventually came to a compromise. The Earth Day vendors will set up a day before the race and have their wares guarded by security guards overnight. The Earth Day celebration will also be pushed back one hour to allow for the marathoners to pass through the park. Race organizers have committed to have all runners out of the park by 8:30 a.m.

Unfortunately for the marathoners, there will be no aid stations available to them during that segment of the race.

“We’ll have to work really hard to make sure their stuff is cleaned up and that our people don’t distract the runners,” said Kaitlin Weeks, the executive director of Earth Day. “We’re both happy to work with each other.”

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