The first time I ran across the Ambassador Bridge, I was awed by the sunrise. But I was also curious about what’s involved in allowing a busy border crossing to be used for a race. So, I asked Aaron Velthoven. He’s race director for the The Detroit Free Press International Marathon. He said the race is, “the only major marathon in the world that crosses two international borders during the course.”
The race began in 1978 with the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel; organizers added the Ambassador Bridge to the course in 1999.
Now, 26,000 people participate across all the races in the event from every U.S. state and more than 30 countries. Only the marathon and the international half marathon cross the border into Canada.
This year’s race is happening Sunday, October 19 and starts in downtown Detroit. Runners cross the Ambassador Bridge into Canada. After running along the Canadian waterfront and downtown Windsor, runners return to the United States via the tunnel, the “underwater mile.” That puts them at about mile eight with a lot left to go in the 26.2 mile course.
In preparation for the race, every Saturday, runners gather at Run Detroit in Eastern Market to train for the marathon. The group has grown from 35 to over 150 regulars, said store owner, Justin Craig.
“Every Saturday, year-round, 8 a.m., we’re here and ready to go. It doesn't matter what the weather is. We never pause for weather. We did take a little pause for a global pandemic,” he said.
There are running groups all over Detroit and Windsor with people training to take the opportunity to run over the bridge and the "underwater mile” in the Detroit-Windsor tunnel.
The tunnel closes completely for four hours. The Ambassador Bridge operates at reduced capacity. There are trucks entering the United States while runners are going the other way, into Canada.
Beyond the borders, 26.2 miles of Detroit and Windsor streets have to be cleared, lined with traffic cones, and staffed.
“We're shutting down 26.2 miles of road, for our participants. That's a lot of space. It's a lot of security. Making sure that area is safe," Velthoven said.
The course itself changes every few years. This time looping through Windsor’s downtown and newly revitalized neighborhoods in Detroit. Each update means months of new permits, signage, time and distance recalculations. The course must still be 26.2 (or 13.1 for the international half) miles. And participants must complete the Ambassador Bridge and tunnel portions of the race before the bridge and tunnel return to full capacity.
Thousands of volunteers work race weekend, from water stations to course marshals.
Doug Williams has run the race and volunteers. He’ll be at mile 20.
“I know like mile 20 it's like, ‘oh man, I got, I'm about to die,’ So giving them the encouragement, that's why I picked the later distance," he said.
Volunteers aren’t just handing out water, they’re also part of a coordinated timing and safety system that relies on radios, checkpoints, and emergency personnel stationed along the course.
The race also has an environmental footprint with tens of thousands of cups, bottles, and wrappers. Velthoven said organizers have been working to change that by increasing recycling, and composting and donating unused stuff.
“We've been very focused on our sustainability. We want to leave Detroit better than when we started this event.”
Even with that progress, the work never stops. Planning for next year’s race begins the week after this one ends. The connections and stories the runners come away with are the result of a year of spreadsheets, meetings, and border briefings, all to make sure this international marathon runs on time.
