The Towpath Marathon: you may have run it before. Or you’ve had friends who ran it. Or maybe you’ve always thought about running it but you never got around to it. With a month to go before the October 7 Towpath Marathon (and half and 10k), we wanted to give you a pep-talk on the unique nature of the race and how it helps further our mission: to create a park system that follows the route of the historic Ohio Canal from Cleveland through Zoar to Dover/New Philadelphia by promoting historic preservation and interpretation, expanded recreational opportunities and sensitive economic developments.
Canalway Partners relies on many different people and organizations to help make positive change in our community. We develop the northern end of the Ohio & Erie Canalway National Heritage Area and we are the chief fundraiser for the Towpath Trail Greenway in Cleveland, taking the lead in strategic decision-making, grant writing, and community outreach. Canalway Partners works with the Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition on the development of the Ohio & Erie Canalway National Heritage Area.
One way we increase public awareness is through community education and diverse activities and events such as RiverSweep and the Towpath Trilogy. Those events generate over 65% of our operating budget and are an essential aspect of our requirement to fundraise $1 for every dollar of federal funding and grants we receive. So when you run on October 7, you’re not only participating in a beautiful fall race on a flat, fast, and forgiving course through the Cuyahoga Valley National Park: You’re helping to leverage our efforts to bring the Towpath Trail to its eventual terminus at Canal Basin Park on the Cuyahoga River! If you’re not up for the whole Towpath Marathon, do the half! And if you’re not up for the half, do the 10k! And invite your friends! Register here today!
