Marathon put on its mark

About 10,000 runners from 41 states and 13 countries are expected to fill the Newport-Mesa area to compete in the OC Marathon on Sunday, according to organizers.

The marathon starts at Fashion Island and follows the coast through Corona del Mar to the Back Bay, looping around the east side of the bay. At this point, runners only doing the half marathon will cut across Newport Boulevard to the Orange County Fair and Events Center.

Full marathoners will make their way north into Costa Mesa, winding through South Coast Plaza and the arts district before coming back along the Santa Ana River Trail, cutting through Fairview Park and finishing at the fairgrounds.

Previously the run has gone through Irvine instead of Costa Mesa, but course designers opted for a change of scenery this year.

“In past years we were declining in registration because of the unpopularity of the course, which is why we changed it to incorporate some of these magnificent views,” said marathon Chairman Scott Baugh.

This year registration is up 30% from the same time last year, he said Thursday.

Most of the streets taken by runners will be closed starting at 6 a.m., with the last ones opening back up at 2 p.m.

In general, all the streets in Newport Beach will reopen by about 10:15 a.m. while some in Costa Mesa will remain closed for the duration of the run. For a complete listing of street closures, visit www.ocmarathon.com.

A few different events will precede the marathon. One of the highlights is the kids run featuring boys and girls running one mile each week for 25 weeks leading up to the marathon and then doing the final 1.2 miles Saturday morning starting at 9 a.m. to make a total of 26.2 miles (the length of a full marathon).

“The idea there is to get the kids focused on what it means to run a marathon,” Baugh said.

A health and running gear expo at the fairgrounds will take place from noon to 7 p.m. today and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The marathon provides a fundraising platform for 16 local children’s charities by allowing them to set up booths and letting them form teams of people running the race who can search out sponsorships in the community, according to marathon spokeswoman Peggy Fort.

“The charity component of the marathon is a unique partnership because it’s really up to the individual charities as to how much money they want to raise. It’s a tool for them to leverage their own fundraising events,” Fort said, adding that some proceeds of the marathon itself have gone to charities in the past, but it doesn’t happen all the time.

In the last four years, the marathon has allowed associated charities to raise $1.5 million, organizers estimate.

A few Newport-Mesa charities are participating including Cure Duchenne (a muscular dystrophy foundation), Girls Inc. (a Costa Mesa program), Team Duke (a local cancer foundation) and the Boys and Girls Club of the Harbor Area.

Thousands are expected to come out just to watch the race. Hanging out at Eastbluff Drive and Jamboree Road, where the run hits the Back Bay, may make for a nice view, Baugh said.

He also suggested camping out with a cup of coffee along the stretch of East Coast Highway going through Corona del Mar, near the beginning of the race, to see the full stampede.

Reporter ALAN BLANK may be reached at (714) 966-4623 or at alan.blank@latimes.com.