Roads, seawall to be closed Sunday for 2018 BMO Vancouver Marathon

Organizers behind the BMO Vancouver Marathon say the event has a new all-time record for participation.

Over the weekend, more than 17,000 runners will toe the start line in one of the five races the event now offers.

The 42.2 kilometre marathon, which began in 1972, will start Sunday at 8:30 a.m. PT from Midlothian Avenue in Queen Elizabeth Park and finishes on West Pender Street between Bute and Thurlow streets. There is also a four-person relay option for the full marathon distance. 

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The half-marathon has the same start and finish location as the full marathon, but begins at 7 a.m. Sunday. In Stanley Park, the 8-kilometre race begins at 9:30 a.m., while the 2.5 kilometre kids race took place Saturday at 11 a.m.

Road closures

There are significant road closures in effect for all of Sunday's races. The start and finish line areas were closed Saturday, while most of Sunday's closures begin around 6:30 a.m.

The marathon course takes runners out of Queen Elizabeth Park through Kerrisdale, Dunbar, UBC, Point Grey, Kitsilano, the West End, Stanley Park and then back downtown.

The Vancouver Park Board says all roads in Stanley Park will close from 6:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on Sunday. The seawall between Second Beach and Lumberman's Arch will be closed from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The seawall between Devonian Harbour Park in Coal Harbour and Avison Way will be closed between 8:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.

TransLink says there will also be several detours due to the race.

Organizers say runners from 65 countries now participate in the race, up from 50 countries in 2015.

About 4,000 people volunteer at the event, while organizers encourage local residents to line the route and cheer on runners.