Running for a cause | Mercer Island Half this weekend

Thousands of runners and walkers will go out into the Island, competing in events ranging from the half marathon run/walk, the 10K run, the 5K run/walk, and the half-mile Kids’ Dash.

March 17, 2015 2:58 pm
The first race of five races scheduled for the 2015 Mercer Island Half begins at 7:30 a.m. Sunday
The first race of five races scheduled for the 2015 Mercer Island Half begins at 7:30 a.m. Sunday

Runners, take your mark.

This weekend, the 43rd annual Mercer Island Half will send thousands of runners and walkers across the Island, competing in events ranging from the half marathon run/walk, the 10K run, the 5K run/walk, and the half-mile Kids’ Dash. The event serves as a fundraiser for colon cancer prevention and other charities sponsored by the Mercer Island Rotary Club.

Assistant race director Dawn Naye, who will be working her sixth race, will also be  competing for the first time in the half marathon. She said the event raised $10,000 for Swedish patients fighting cancer and another $90,000 for Rotary charities last year.

“I see it as a community event where we partner with a lot of local businesses to make this a showcase run for Mercer Island,” she said. “It kind of launches run season for all major runs in the Seattle area.”

Naye said registration numbers were down a bit from last year’s record turnout of 5,000 participants. As of last week, just over 3,000 runners and walkers were registered, and she didn’t expect to match last year’s turnout numbers this weekend.

Event organizers have once again partnered with Sound Transit. Those traveling to Mercer Island to compete in the races should show their race bib and will get to and from Mercer Island for free.

Naye said parking lots throughout Mercer Island have been secured, and shuttle buses will be available to transport people to the community center.

“It’s always a great community event,” Naye said. “We’ll have 350 volunteers from Mercer Island.”

The 2015 Mercer Island Half will begin Sunday, March 22, with day-of-event registration at 6:30 a.m. Runners can pick up race bibs and registration materials at the Pre-Race Expo Saturday, March 21 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Mercer Island Community and Event Center gym.

The West Mercer Way exit going eastbound on I-90 will close from 7:45 a.m. to noon. Islanders should plan for road closures and traffic delays Sunday morning, and are suggested to use Island Crest Way as the primary roadway.

For more information, visit mercerislandhalf.com.