TEXARKANA - More than 750 runners are expected to toe the starting line for the 13th annual Run The Line half-marathon here Sunday morning.
The 13.1-mile race starts downtown near the Bi-State Justice building beginning at 7:30 a.m, and runs on both sides of State Line.
"We have 711 registered runners at this time," said race director Julie Ray-Harrison Wednesday morning."We usually have several runners sign up late or even on Sunday morning."
Both of last year's winners will be returning to defend their title.
Seth Hall, 31, Monroe, Louisiana, won the men's title with a time of 1:16.57, and Alexandra Ellis, 29, Shreveport, Louisiana, won the female division with a 1:25.15.
Seth Hall's brother, Nathan, 35, who won in 2018, is not returning.
An interesting battle shapes up among the women as Tia Stone, 41, who placed second last year just a minute behind Ellis. Stone had won the previous three years of the event.
The Hallses were surprise winners the past two years, and another surprise may pop up this year. One possibility is 24-year-old John Baker of Atlanta, Texas.
Also entered is Kim Howard, 58, Mineral Springs, Arkansas, who has run over 100 marathons.
Several local Ironman competitors will be participating.
The runners range in age from teenagers up to several in their 70's, and even one who is 80.
The 80-year-old is Greg Bournes of Mena, Arkansas, who is participating for the 10th straight year.
Mary Jo Brinkman, 78, of Fort Smith, Arkansas, is the oldest female.
This story has been corrected. Because of a reporting error, an earlier version stated an incorrect start time for the race. The Gazette regrets the error.