While race owner and operator Greg Borzilleri hasn’t been involved in all 20 runnings — he purchased it in 2016 and the race was cancelled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic — he said it’s great for the events, and he has some special things planned ahead of the Sunday race.

“We invited Jeff Edwards and Brad Konkler, who started the race back in (2005),” he said. “Jeff said he could come because he lives in Maine now, and Brad said he couldn’t make it, but we want to honor the people that brought this thing through over the last couple of decades.”

Borzilleri said that, so far, more than 1,200 people are signed up for the event, which will span across three different races — the full (26.2 miles) and half (13.1 miles) marathons and the 10-kilometer race. There are so many people signed up that he’s starting to run out of medals.

“We’re gonna get them produced locally,” he said. “We’re gonna get some different ones, some wooden ones, produced locally to make up for it.”

Debra Stanton of Lake Placid crosses the finish line of the Lake Placid Marathon and Half in June 2024. (Enterprise photo — Parker O’Brien)

A year ago, there were 1,287 who took part in the event, and while Borzilleri expects this year’s total to surpass that, he was surprised to see a drop in some of our friendly northern neighbors.

“We only have about half the number of Canadians that normally sign up, so that’s kind of a bummer,” he said. “But obviously, Americans are making up for it. So, I think we might be over 1,300 by the time the race starts on Sunday.”

All three races will start at 8 a.m. on Main Street in front of the Olympic Speedskating Oval — with a cut-off time of 2 p.m. — and will require the runners to complete a lap around Mirror Lake before making a left on Parkside Drive and a right down Mill Hill and toward Sentinel Road.

Once the 10K racers reach the Sentinel Road/Newman Intersection, they’ll take a right before reaching Old Military Road, the participants will then make their way toward Station Street. The full and half marathon runners will stay on Sentinel and run down Cascade Road and River Road before turning back around.

All three races will reach the intersection in front of Lisa G’s on Sentinel Road, make a left down Mill Pond Drive, a right up McLenathan, a right up School Street and hard left up the School Ramp before returning to the oval on the right.

On Saturday, the Lake Placid Marathon and Half will hold a children’s run from 2 to 3 p.m. at the oval. Registration starts at 1 p.m. Kids of all ages can participate on courses of varying lengths.

There will also be a pasta dinner that night hosted by the Lake Placid High School junior class, which is a charity partner with the Lake Placid Marathon and Half.

“All the proceeds of that pasta dinner are going to them for their fundraising purposes,” Borzilleri said. “We encourage people to sign up. It’s 10 bucks for all for spaghetti and salad and bread and dessert and drinks. It’s a pretty cheap date, if anybody wants to come and have some spaghetti the night before the race. It doesn’t have to be just athletes. You can be like spectators, friends, locals or whoever.”

Borzilleri also hopes to put on a “little Lake Placid Marathon Walk of Fame” sometime this weekend.

“We’re going to get some big heads made and just honor the people that made an impact,” he said. “People like Richard Boyer, who back in the day was the village highway guy, and then ran Boyer Septic and was always a big supporter of the event.”

For more information, visit lakeplacidmarathon.com.

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Road closures

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— Main Street: Closed between the Town Hall and Mirror Lake Drive (High Peaks Resort) from 7:45 to 8:30 a.m. No overnight parking Saturday 2 a.m. to Sunday morning on Main Street from Central Garage to Cummings Road. Parking will resume on Sunday at 8:30 a.m.

— Mirror Lake Drive: From Northwood Road to Harbor Lane should expect delays. Use caution. From Harbor Lane to Northwood Road is closed from 8 to 8:45 a.m. Closed from Parkside Drive to Northwood Road from 8 to 8:45 a.m.

— Parkside Drive: Closed from Mirror Lake Drive to Morningside Drive from 8:15 until 9 a.m. Local traffic is asked to use caution.

— Newman Road: expect runners outbound (10K race- 100 max participants) from 8:20 to 9 a.m.

— Old Military Road: be aware of runner presence on the sidewalk westbound. 8:25 to 9:05 a.m

— Station Street: be aware of runners on the sidewalk 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.

— Route 73/Route 86 Intersection at Mill Hill: Expect delays from 8:15 to 9 a.m.

— Route 73/Sentinel Road/Cascade Road: Southbound lane closed from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. between Main Street intersection and Old Military Road. intersection. Northbound lane open (use caution) to local traffic with delays expected at Old Military Road. intersection. Runners will travel in the northbound lane from the John Brown Farm/Sentinel Road intersection to River Road. Mill Pond Drive, McLenathan Avenue are closed inbound from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Local traffic only. Use caution. School Street will be closed between McLenathan Avenue and Colden Avenue from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Use McKinley Street as a detour.

— River Road: Open to local traffic only, use caution.

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Alternate Routes

(8 a.m. to 2 p.m.)

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For Northbound through traffic on Route 73 entering Lake Placid: Head west on Old Military Road at the ski

jumps. Follow Old Military Road to the firehouse and make a right on Mill Pond Drive. Make a left on WesValley Road. and right onto Cummings Road. to arrive at Main Street.

— For Southbound traffic leaving Lake Placid on Route 73: Make a right off Main Street at Cummins Road. and left at WesValley Road. Make a right onto Mill Pond Drive and left onto Old Military Road. at the firehouse. Old Military Road. intersects Route 73 at the ski jumps.

— Two-way alternating vehicle traffic will continue throughout the event at the ski jump bridge on Route 73 with Old Military Road. accessible in both directions. Runners will be confined to northbound Route 73

between the John Brown Farm/Sentinel Road intersection and River Road. While traffic is metered in the southbound lane.

— Runners will proceed clockwise around Mirror Lake Drive on the inside lane from 8 to 8:45 a.m. Vehicles will be allowed around Mirror Lake Drive from Northwood Road. to Harbor Way during this period.

— For those traveling on Route 86 West through Lake Placid, avoid possible early morning delays by utilizing Northwood Road, Mirror Lake Drive and Harbor Lane to reach Saranac Avenue. This route will be unavailable from 8 to 9 a.m. as runners proceed around Mirror Lake. Traveling East towards Wilmington, use Mirror Lake Drive and Northwood Road.