by Erik Hare
Today is the annual Twin Cities Marathon, a big event for everyone in Saint Paul. To runners, it’s the day they’ve been training for, the day that they finally get to do it up with their comrades. To residents, it’s a day to pretty much forget about getting anywhere past the roadblocks that make way for the runners and enjoy the spectacle on the sidelines. But for a lot of businesses, it’s a big day as well.
The day before is the all-day Target sponsored Health and Fitness Expo at the Civic Center (pictured). I’ve never seen so many people all day long on West Seventh, many of them packing into Cossetta’s for a pasta-laden meal. The Holiday Inn across the street is full. Even the bars seemed to be doing some extra business, even if that’s not quite as healthy of a way to pass a Saturday as it is at the big display of running gear, clothing, and workout equipment. The Marathon is big business.
There’s a hint here for the city as we look for ways of getting through the recession. Running is a sport that people can take up as a way of staying fit without spending a tremendous amount of money – unless they really want to. Fitness is not only a way to keep our city healthy, it looks like events such as these are a way to keep the economy moving. People show up for events that promote good living, even if some of the things they do aren’t exactly all the healthy. They can spend pretty much whatever they want to as they participate in the big event.
I’ll be spending the race near Café con Amoré, a small independent business that’s just a block from the Marathon course on Summit. It’s likely to do pretty well on a cold day with a lot of spectator traffic outside the door. This is, in many ways, the last big event of the summer so hopefully it’ll be a big event for them as well. If the way things went at my end of town is any indication, this will be a big day for business all along the route.
There’s something to learn from all this, I’m sure. Fitness is good for Saint Paul in a lot more ways than we might have thought at first. It’s worth promoting ourselves as a town that’s not only quiet and safe and clean, but also healthy.
