Marathon of the Palm Beaches

The 5th Annual Marathon of the Palm Beaches takes place between December 5th - 7th 2008. The Marathon, Half Marathon and Marathon Team Relay will all start at 6:00 a.m. on December 7th.

One of the highlights of Marathon Weekend will be the marathon breakfast on Dec. 5th, featuring marathon great Uta Pippig, an advocate of women's running, as guest speaker. More than 60 percent of the participants are women. Pippig, 43, a two-time Olympian for Germany and the first woman to win the Boston and Berlin marathons three times, will run the 5K and give out medals and sign autographs during the kids' races.

Returning men's champion Paul Rugut, a Kenyan now living in America, will defend his title against several top local runners, including two-time Olympian Ronnie Holassie of Miramar.Defending women's marathon champion Sonja Friend-Uhl is six months pregnant and will run the 5K.

Marlene Persson of Deerfield Beach is among women's marathon favorites.