Wednesday is the last day to register for the 11th Annual Tuscaloosa Tourism & Sports Half Marathon and Publix 5K before prices increase Thursday.

The race is the longest-distance race hosted in the city and drew more than 1,000 runners to the 2022 event.

The event is organized each year by TTS and FRESHJUNKIE Racing and is made possible by a dozen local sponsors including Townsquare Media Tuscaloosa, this site's parent company.

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The Half Marathon begins in downtown Tuscaloosa's Government Plaza and takes participants along the Black Warrior River, the University of Alabama campus, through historic neighborhoods and more.

“As a leader in race management, we are excited to partner with FRESHJUNKIE Racing once again,” said TTS President and CEO Kelsey Rush. “TTS is a community asset that works to strengthen the economic position and vitality of Tuscaloosa County. Events like the Tuscaloosa Half Marathon provide our local community a quality event to participate in and at the same time enhance our area as an attractive travel destination for visitors."

Registering for the half marathon usually costs $120 and the Publix 5K costs $45, but early bird pricing is still available, dropping the half marathon registration fee by more than half to just $50 or $20 for the 5K.

Interested runners should act fast, though -- prices increase Thursday and will continue to do so periodically as the event draws nearer. The race is traditionally held on the last Saturday of March and is tentatively planned for March 25th, 2023.

According to Mike Wattigny, the marketing director at FRESHJUNKIE Racing, the annual event has raised more than $226,000 for local charities since it was first introduced in 2013.

The 2023 race will benefit Arts n' Autism, an afterschool program that benefits hundreds of children in the Tuscaloosa area who have been diagnosed with autism.

“We are excited to see what the 2023 event will bring," Wattigny said. "Last year saw great growth after the pandemic canceled 2020 and modified the 2021 events. Building upon the success for 2022, we hope to attract even more participants to the Queen City."

To learn more and register today, visit https://www.tuscaloosahalf.com/.

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