Two ways to look at things. Pick your own reality. Its All Good.
The city of Omaha has emerged from its paucity of marathoning. The Omaha Marathon that most of you recall, sacrificed on the alter of greed, was never any good in my opinion. Not through lack of effort on the part of the Omaha Running Club. They volunteered and staffed and manned and gave all they could. I had a lot of dealings with the old race director, found her amiable and utterly lacking in road race management skills. The slick trick that pulled the marathon out from under the running community a stain that will long be remembered.
For 2016 Omaha will have 3 marathons, The Heartland Marathon (Omaha Running Club), The Omaha Marathon (HITS Saugerties, NY), and the just announced Nebraska Marathon (Joe Sutter, Omaha). Not so fast. Two and a half marathons actually. The Nebraska Marathon spends a significant amount of miles on the Iowa side of the Pedestrian Bridge. Which is a fine thing as far as everyone is concerned.
None a true road race. Those sidewalks, I mean trails, ok sidewalks, that make up so much of each showing what battles race organizers in Omaha must face.
My dream for Omaha remains, a closed road course marathon. Until we pull it off we will always be on the hind teet of regional relevance.
Just one marathon. Done the right way. Its up to you Omaha. Dream a little dream.
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