In case you haven't noticed the television commercials, electronic message boards, door hangers, newspaper articles and columns, there's a marathon going on this morning.
After receiving complaints last year about road closures and limited access to neighborhoods from community residents, organizers of the Two Cities Marathon and Half Marathon did things differently this year.They listened to the complaints. They changed the routes. And they took great pains to publicize this year's event as early and as widely as possible to minimize the disruptions.The race still starts and ends at Woodward Park. It also affects Shepherd Avenue, Friant Road and several streets in Clovis. Willow Avenue will be open to traffic during the entire race this year. Other streets will reopen as soon as the race passes, instead of staying closed until 2 p.m. A complete list of road closures and times can be found on the city of Fresno Web site at www.fresno.gov/traffic.Events like this are good for our community. They draw lots of people here and give us an opportunity to make a good impression. (Not to mention the economic boost that will come from occupied hotel rooms, restaurant meals served and other local purchases made.)Last year, the Two Cities Marathon was limited to 3,000 runners. This year, 5,000 will take to the streets (it had sold out by Friday).Yes, it's a pain when events disrupt our normal routine. But it's also a great opportunity to show visitors how welcoming we can be.So go out and cheer on the athletes. Plan ahead and be patient if your travel is delayed a little. Recommend good restaurants to people visiting our area. And invite them back again.