Long Island marathon weekend kicks off Friday at Eisenhower Park

Runners, both competitive and recreation-minded, will return to Eisenhower Park this weekend for a series of races culminating in the Jovia Long Island Marathon on Sunday morning.

The races will kick off Friday night leading up to the marathon. Motorists Sunday should be on the lookout for road closures in East Meadow and Uniondale, as well as several exits blocked on the Meadowbrook State Parkway.

Before the start of the pandemic in 2020, the marathon weekend had drawn as many as 5,000 runners. Last year’s races, the first on the event's traditional weekend after two years of being altered by the pandemic, drew about 2,500 runners, officials said.

Road closures before Sunday’s marathon and half-marathon will begin at 7 a.m., Nassau County police said.

Closures until 1:30 p.m. include the entire length of Charles Lindbergh and Earl Ovington boulevards and Park Boulevard at Merrick Road. Park Boulevard will also be closed at Hempstead Turnpike until 9 a.m.

Exits on the Meadowbrook to Charles Lindbergh, the Nassau Coliseum and Nassau Community College will also be closed from 7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., as will the eastbound exit to Stewart Avenue. 

A health & fitness expo will be held from 3 to 7:30 p.m. Friday and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Runners can pick up their bibs and race packets at the expo, which will be near the course finish line. A  5-kilometer fun run will start at 8 p.m. Friday. A food truck festival will take place from Friday night through Sunday afternoon.

There will be a 10-kilometer run at 8 a.m. Saturday and 1-kilometer kids run at 11 a.m. on Saturday.

The Long Island chapter of Friends of Karen, participating for the 16th year, will be represented by 130 entrants running to raise about $75,000 for families caring for children with cancer. The organization was formed in 1978 and named after Karen MacInnes, a 16-year-old with Lafora disease, a rare genetic disorder.

The charity offers financial support for families of children undergoing treatment such as chemotherapy and radiation, Regional Director Leslie Bellissimo said.

“We support families to pay the bills and also support them emotionally with trained professional social workers. It’s an emotional piece, and we advocate for these children getting the best care and resources they need to do to be able to stay functioning while going through treatment,” she said. “We can be there when no one else understands what you’re going through. We want as many people on Long Island to know we exist so if they ever hear of a family, they know who to call.”

Race entrants fundraise on pledges to run in everything from the 1k kids run to the 26.2-mile marathon. The runners, in bright yellow jerseys, will include children and their families who have recovered from illnesses, Bellissimo said.

Race spectators are allowed at the starting lines, finish lines and at viewing stations on Park Boulevard. Runners can also be tracked on phone apps.

All vehicles at the starting line Sunday must be credentialed. All race participants must use clear plastic bags provided by the race committee for personal belongings that will be searched by Nassau police K-9 dogs before being permitted at the finish line.

Spectators and family members will be able to see the starting line from viewing areas, but may not gather with runners. Spectators are not allowed to bring bags or other items in the starting area, police said.

By John Asbury

john.asbury@newsday.comJohnAsbury

John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.