Community
Get Off The Couch Potato Sports Productions, LLC is dedicated to providing our athletes the most memorable experience at our events. Equally, we are dedicated to giving back to our community because we know it takes a community to produce this event and it’s just the right thing to do. The San Luis Obispo Marathon, Half & 5K will benefit two charitable organizations:
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS's) roots stretch back to 1949, when the de Villiers family experienced the devastation of leukemia with the death of their 16-year-old son, Robert Roesler de Villiers. Family members and friends declared war on the disease by creating The Robert Roesler de Villiers Foundation, funding research to find a cure. The foundation later became The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Our mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families.
Team In Training (TNT)® began in 1988, when Bruce Cleland of Rye, NY formed a team that raised funds and trained to run the New York City Marathon in honor of Cleland's daughter Georgia, a leukemia survivor.
The team of 38 runners raised $322,000 for LLS's Westchester/Hudson Valley Chapter. Because of the pioneering efforts of Cleland and the Westchester/Hudson Valley Chapter, Team In Training was born and has grown into the world's largest endurance sports training program. Cleland was honored by Runner's World magazine in 2004 as one of their "Heroes of Running" for his role in establishing TNT.
Join(link) Team In Training for the SLO Marathon and Half.
Learn more about team in training
Course Entertainment
They have trained for months. For many, it’s their first time and they are nervous. Nothing can take an athlete that one step further than a bit of entertainment and cheering. We’re looking for companies, groups and organizations that want to give our athletes the encouragement they deserve for the 2013 event. We have designated Course Entertainment along our Marathon & Half Marathon routes. You supply the entertainment and cheers; we’ll supply the throat lozenges!
If you are interested in being apart of the 2013 course entertainment, please email info@slomarathon.com.
Spectators
There will be spectator locations along the route, primarily around the start and finish areas, in which to observe and take pictures of participants in all three races. For the safety of our athletes, spectators will not be allowed to drive into or park in the Edna Valley portion of the course route. There will be road closures beginning at 4 a.m., so please check the Race Schedule or News for more information. The best location to view the athletes is at the SLO Life Expo at the Madonna Inn where the Finish Line is the bicycle path next to Madonna Meadows.
Spectator Locations
Below are some great areas where you can get great pictures of your runner and cheer them on in their challenge to complete their race!
FIRST GLIMPSE
SHELL GAS STATION @ Santa Rosa and Monterey Streets: you’ll see a wave of bodies as they make their way down Monterey St. heading toward the Mission. Or walk south up Monterey Street and stand in front of the historic FREMONT THEATER or the COUNTY COURTHOUSE.
MISSION SAN LUIS OBISPO DE TOLOSA
Just outside the Plaza area on Chorro Street is a great area to wait for your runner. Look up Monterey Street to see the wave of bodies making their way into the downtown corridor.
CHINESE GARDEN
From the Shell Gas station, walk north to the corner of Santa Rosa and Marsh Streets to the Chinese Garden. Runners will be making a right to head toward Johnson Street.
MITCHELL PARK
Runners will traverse two sides of Mitchell Park, up Buchon Street and then left up Santa Rosa Street. It’s a great place to hold up signs of support and cheer like heck!
TANK FARM RD. l ISLAY HILL PARK
For the safety of our athletes, access to the Edna Valley and the wineries (with the exception of emergency vehicles, winery workers and Edna Valley residents) is closed until 1 p.m. However, the intersection of Tank Farm and Orcutt Roads is a great location to watch your athlete embark into wine country and return as they head into town.
RAILROAD SQUARE
A picture perfect place for cheering, Railroad Square features the exit off the Jennifer Street Bridge and a downhill segment to Islay Street. A great place to watch from is SALLY LOU’S CAFE.
HOME STRETCH l ISLAY STREET
Your runner is in the homestretch on Islay Street and in need of as much encouragement and cheering as possible! This is a great neighborhood area and a perfect place to cheer.
MADONNA INN l MADONNA MEADOWS
The most ideal location to wait for your runner is at “The SLO Life Expo” on the Madonna Inn property. Hundreds of yards of fence line the spectacular downhill finish line where you can get that perfect picture of accomplishment.
Directions and Parking
The best way to view your runner is to park in our recommended parking areas and structures and walk to the locations. All parking areas must be accessed off Hwy. 101 due to road closures. DO NOT PARK/DRIVE ON CLOSED ROADS OR IN NO PARKING ZONES.
Take Hwy. 101 Santa Rosa exit. Head south on Santa Rosa and park either in the neighborhoods on the Palm and Mill cross streets, or take a right on Palm and head to the parking lots and structures at the Library or just after City Hall.
TO MISSION
Palm Street Parking Lot. Same instructions as above. May also take Osos exit off Hwy. 101 then right on Palm Street. Walk down to Monterey Street and head south to the Mission on Chorro Street.
TO CHINESE GARDEN
Take Hwy. 101 Santa Rosa exit. Park on streets north of Monterey Street and walk down to intersection of Santa Rosa and Monterey. You can watch the first wave of runners after the start then cross the barriers to walk a couple of long blocks to the Chinese Garden.
TO MITCHELL PARK
Take Hwy. 101 Santa Rosa exit. Park on streets north of Monterey Street and walk down Santa Rosa Street until you see Mitchell Park. You may cross the street into the park but, please, once runners make their way to the area, DO NOT CROSS THE STREET IN FRONT OF THEM.
TO TANK FARM RD.
Take the Los Osos Valley Rd. exit off Hwy. 101. Head east to S. Higuera Street, make a left on Higuera to Tank Farm Road, make a right (east). Cross Hwy. 227 and make your way up to Orcutt Road. You may park along Tank Farm or in the neighborhood. Again, please be courteous of our neighbors and be mindful of your noise level early in the morning.
TO RAILROAD SQ.
Take the Madonna exit off Hwy. 101. Head east toward S. Higuera St., make a left, BUT, be in the far right lane as you will make a quick right onto South Street. Cross over Broad Street and Park in the neighborhoods or the Railroad Square parking. Walk north to the square. Spaces are limited.
TO ISLAY ST
Park in the Palm Street Structures and walk east toward Islay Street.
TO MADONNA INN
Take the Madonna Street exit off Hwy. 101. If from southbound exit, drive straight into the property. If from northbound exit, make a left into far right lane and drive into property. Parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis. There is NO PARKING in the Copper Cafe area or in guest spaces. Cars will be towed from this area.
