BY DARRICK IGNASIAK

ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER

HIGH POINT – The 2010 North Carolina Marathon will take place in High Point in March instead of May, High Point City Manager Strib Boynton confirmed Thursday.

“It has been changed to March,” Boynton said. “It’s a better day for runners. It’s cooler. The weather is generally better. That was one of the reasons, and also they wanted to avoid conflicts with other marathons and outdoor activities later in the spring.”

The third annual North Carolina Marathon, sponsored by Foster Friends of North Carolina and a qualifier for the Boston Marathon, will be held in High Point on March 20, 2010. Holding the marathon in High Point for the first time May 2, 2009, marathon officials decided to make the transition to the city because of a failure to reach an acceptable accommodation in Greensboro. While Greensboro cited security costs totaling $65,000, High Point offered to host the marathon at no charge.

Calling the marathon a success, High Point officials later agreed to host the event through 2015. According to Boynton, the city spent about $25,000 to provide services for the 2009 marathon.

“Whatever month it’s going to be in, we can assist with it and do our support part in making it successful,” Boynton said. “Our crews are very adaptable and very flexible. Time of the year doesn’t make any difference for us because it’s not about us. It’s about the runners and raising money for the foster homes.”

dignasiak@hpe.com | 888-3657