The White Rock Marathon organizers have announced that they will change the start, finish and course of the annual race.

The December 5 marathon/half marathon will start and finish at Fair Park rather than Victory Plaza, and the new course is still being finalized, according to this Morning News article. The new location will allow for about 2,000 more entrants. Race Director Marcus Grunewald told the News that “he expects the marathon course to leave Fair Park, head to Swiss Avenue, run through the Dallas Arts District and connect with the old route around the lake. He said the course should have less impact on downtown Dallas.”

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I’ve run the race the last two years and this kind of blows my mind. I love the whole Victory Park start because runners are allowed to hang out in the American Airlines Center — where they have access to real bathrooms not Porta-Pots — before the race.  And you can stay warm in there if (God willing) the weather is cold. That’s a benefit I’ve yet to experience at any other race. Also, with the Fair Park start, the half marathoners will not enjoy that three mile finish down the Katy Trail.

But, the directors of the race have done a good job so far of managing the growth of this event, so I will give them the benefit of the doubt on this one for now.