For the first time since 2017, New Jersey’s capital city will host a half marathon race this year. However, runners will need to wait a little longer than initially anticipated to hit the streets of Trenton.
NYCRUNS announced in mid-January that it was adding the Trenton Half Marathon to its 2020 race calendar. However, a little more than a month later, the race organizer has changed the date of the event to Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020 — a move from its original date in early May.
“Putting together a new race for the first time is a challenging endeavor and part of that process is building a relationship with the host city and the community,” NYCRUNS said in an email sent today to those who registered for the Trenton Half Marathon. “We’re just beginning to get to know Trenton, we’ve made some good friends quickly, and we’re still very excited about this event.
“However, while our preference was for this to take place in the Spring, it makes more sense to do it in the fall. Stick with us, it will be worth your while.”
As with the old Trenton Half Marathon, which was run by a different race organizer from 2012-2017, the preliminary course features a “Delaware Double-Cross” with runners crossing the Delaware River from Trenton to Morrisville, Pa., via the Lower Trenton (aka, “Trenton Makes”) Bridge, and then returning to Trenton via the Calhoun Street Bridge. The proposed course then heads up Route 29 and eventually through historic Cadwalader Park before coming down West State Street back to the finish line.
The biggest difference between the previous incarnation and NYCRUNS’ proposed version of the Trenton Half Marathon is the start/finish area. The start/finish line will be in front of the State House on West State Street in Trenton, according to the preliminary course map. The old race started in the parking lot of Arm & Hammer Park—home of the New York Yankees’ Class-AA affiliate Trenton Thunder—and finished at home plate inside the ballpark itself.
For more information and to sign up, visit the race site at NYCRUNS.
Preliminary course map for NYCRUNS 2020 Trenton Half Marathon (NYCRUNS)
Brian Kelley 