Getting Ready for Largest Montgomery Half Marathon

Race day is almost here and officials say it’s setting up to be the largest Half Marathon yet with 2,100 runners.

“We have a beautiful venue. We have a great course. And for this type of race, very inexpensive. So that brings in people. They hear about the swag. They hear about what all you get for the money and that really gets them coming in,” said Hardy Sellers, race director.

Friday runners got the chance to pick up their race packets and T-shirts.
Vendors tell us they’ve seen a lot of people come through.

“Big events like the half marathon are great for Montgomery. They bring a lot of people to Montgomery from outside. I had a lady who was talking to me earlier, she was from Houston, Texas. That is a pretty long way to come do a marathon,” said Robert Traphan with the Montgomery Bicycle Club.

Ashley Eskelsen and her family came from Oakridge, Tennessee.
And she’s planning to break a world record with a triple jogging stroller.

“Yes, this is my son, Levi. He is 4 months. My son, Ethan is 4. And James is 2 ,” said Eskelsen.

They will all be in a stroller as their mother runs and pushes 152 pounds.

“Really, I am hoping for an 8 minute pace. Just dig in the first two miles. Then really we have 8 miles that are pretty flat and down hill. Those last few miles I am just going to be cruising in. So once we hit the field here, we all are going to be digging and going fast.”

Eskelsen says she looks forward to setting a new world record…and sharing it with others.

“Well, my goal was to do something awesome and inspire other people, so I think that is the biggest thing. And I love having my family with me and my husband is my biggest support.”

The race starts at Riverwalk Stadium at 7:00am Saturday.