FITNESS | Monumental mileage

Lace up those sneakers and bust out those energy gels; it’s marathon time! The second annual Springfield Marathon returns on Oct. 19, though runners will need to register no later than Oct. 18 at 4:00 p.m. The picturesque, mostly flat 26.2-mile race begins Sunday at 7:30 a.m. Runners start west of the TRAC Building at University of Illinois Springfield, head north around UIS on Eliza Farnham Drive, dash down the Lake Springfield shoreline, race through the countryside and finish at UIS off Shepherd Road. Unsure if you can make it 26.2 miles? Half marathon (13.1-mile) and 10K (6.2-mile) distances are also available. Not a runner? Spectating is fun! Line the course and motivate participants with funny or inspirational signs, costumes and cheers. Don’t forget to stop by The Muni on Saturday night for a 5K (3.2-mile) fun run, Pasta Feed, live music and more. For registration and race information plus course maps, visit springfieldmarathon.net.