Thousands of runners set for Santa Rosa Marathon on Sunday

Thousands of runners and spectators will convene in downtown Santa Rosa this weekend for the 11th annual running of the Santa Rosa Marathon.

The marathon attracts elite runners because it’s a certified qualifying race for the Boston Marathon and an official qualifier for the Olympic trials.

Race director Orhan Sarabi said it’s also popular among amateur runners seeking a wine-filled vacation.

“We have about 4,500 runners from 48 states and six countries,” Sarabi said.

Besides the full and half-?marathons, the weekend of running includes 5K and 10K races that begin Saturday at 7 a.m. Sunday’s marathon is slated to start at 6:30 a.m., with the half-marathon 45 minutes later.

A beer fest at Old Courthouse Square will serve as the after-party for runners both days, although it also is open to the public. Sarabi said the post-race celebration will feature ?13 brews on Saturday and 25 on Sunday.

“We wanted to create a post-race (party) that wasn’t just, ‘Get your medal and leave,’?” he said.

Road closures, parking restrictions and traffic delays will be side effects of the race series, especially in downtown Santa Rosa.

On Saturday, expect one-way traffic on West Sixth, West Seventh, Madison and Adams streets. These streets also will have parking restrictions.

The marathon course will take runners through downtown Santa Rosa to Santa Rosa Creek Trail. Runners then will head northwest on Guerneville, Olivet and Oakwild roads, including through the barrel room at DeLoach Vineyard & Winery, before looping back to downtown.

With temperatures on Sunday expected to reach 90 degrees, Sarabi said there will be plenty of medical personnel at aid stations along the course. He anticipates most people will be finished by 11 a.m., though, before the heat sets in.

“The back half of the course is shaded, offers a little extra relief,” he said.