SPARTANBURG, S.C. – On Saturday, Nov. 19, runners from across the nation will converge on downtown Spartanburg for the NJCAA Half Marathon.

Spartanburg Methodist College was selected as a host site for the 2005, 2007 and 2009 National Junior College Athletic Association earlier this year. The bid to host this national event was made in conjunction with Team Spartanburg and the Spartanburg Convention and Visitor’s Bureau.

The Half Marathon will start at 8:30 a.m. outside the Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium. The course runs through downtown Spartanburg and out to the Spartanburg Methodist College Campus. Runners will finish at Barnet Park.

The Half Marathon Championships are open to any NJCAA college with a cross country program. SMC Head Cross Country Coach, Eric Cummings, sees hosting such an event as an honor for both the college and the city of Spartanburg. Jules Bryant, Executive Director of the Spartanburg Convention and Visitors Bureau, is optimistic that the Half Marathon will have a positive economic impact on Spartanburg, as area businesses such as hotels and restaurants see an influx of visitors to the event.

For more information on the Half Marathon, contact the SMC Athletic Office at 587-4244 or 4237.