Saturday RED ALERT: Baltimore Marathon/Running Festival

The Baltimore Marathon is this Saturday.

We repeat:  THE BALTIMORE MARATHON IS THIS SATURDAY.

Beginning downtown around Camden Yards between 8 AM and 9:45 AM, with finishers throughout the day.

Map here.

List of road closures:

Baltimore Marathon to be held this Saturday
The Baltimore City Department of Transportation would like to advise motorists of the temporary parking restrictions and road closures that will be in effect for the 10th annual Baltimore Marathon, which will be held on Saturday, October 16, 2010 starting at 8:00 a.m. The 26.2 mile course will begin at Russell and Camden Streets. In conjunction with the marathon, the Carefirst/Blue Cross/Blue Shield Half-Marathon will also be held, along with the United Way 5K Run, the Legg Mason Team Relay and the T. Rowe Price Kids Fun Run. Approximately 22,000 people are expected to participate in this year’s events.

In preparation for the marathon, various parking restrictions and road closures will be implemented. Motorists should pay close attention to posted parking restrictions, as vehicles parked in violation will be ticketed and towed. Citizens with questions concerning the location of their vehicles should call 311.

The following parking restrictions will be implemented on Saturday, October 16, 2010:

∙ Linwood Avenue from Eastern Avenue to Fayette Street 12:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
∙ Eastern Avenue (north side) from Linwood to Patterson Park Avenues 12:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
∙ Boston Street (north side) from Aliceanna Street to Lakewood Avenue 2:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
∙ Lancaster Street from President Street to Central Avenue 4:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
∙ 33rd Street from Hillen Road to Guilford Avenue 4:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
∙ Eutaw Street (west side) from Madison to Monument Streets 4:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
∙ Howard Street (west side) from 23rd to 28th Streets 4:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
∙ Wyman Park Drive from Remington Avenue to Art Museum Drive 5:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
∙ Camden Street from Russell to Howard Streets 6:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
∙ Fort Avenue from Lawrence to Hull Streets 7:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon
∙ St. Paul Street (upper level) from Franklin to Saratoga Streets 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon
∙ William Street (east side) from Warren Street to Key Highway 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon
∙ Fort Avenue (south side) from Lawrence to Hull Streets 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon
∙ Cuba Street from Towson to Hull Street 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon

The following streets will be closed to through traffic on Saturday, October 16, 2010:
∙ Russell Street from Hamburg to Pratt Street 5:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
∙ Eutaw Street from Madison to Monument Streets 6:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
∙ Eutaw Street from Pratt to Camden Streets 7:00 a.m. – 3:15 p.m.
∙ Camden Street from Russell to Howard Streets 7:00 a.m. – 3:15 p.m.
∙ Light Street from Lombard Street to Key Highway 8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
∙ Key Highway from Cross to Light Streets 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
∙ Central Avenue from Gough to Bank Streets 11:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
∙ Pratt Street from Calvert to Exeter Streets 12:45 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
∙ Exeter Street from Pratt to Bank Streets 12:45 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
∙ Bank Street from Exeter Street to Central Avenue 12:45 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

The following streets will be impacted by the marathon on Saturday, October 16, 2010:
∙ Paca Street from Pratt to Lombard Streets 5:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
∙ Paca Street from Lombard to McCulloh Streets 7:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.
∙ McCulloh Street from Paca Street to Greenspring Avenue 7:10 a.m. – 8:50 a.m.
∙ Greenspring Avenue from Beechwood Drive to Wyman Park Drive (in Druid Hill Park) 7:15 a.m. - 9:50 a.m.
∙ Wyman Park Drive from Remington Avenue to W. 28th Street 7:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
∙ W. 28th Street from Howard to St. Paul Streets 7:35 a.m. - 10:05 a.m.
∙ St. Paul Street from 28th to Light Streets 7:35 a.m. - 10:35 a.m.
∙ Key Highway from Light Street to Lawrence Street and Lawrence Street from Key Highway to Fort Avenue 7:35 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
∙ Fort Avenue from Lawrence Street to Hull Street and Hull Street from Lawrence Street to the Key Highway Extension 7:50 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
∙ Key Highway from Hull Street to Lawrence Street to Light Street 8:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
∙ Light Street to Pratt Street to President Street to Lancaster Street 8:05 a.m. to 12:00 noon
∙ Aliceanna Street from President to Boston Streets 8:10 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
∙ Boston Street to Lakewood Avenue to O’Donnell St. to Linwood Avenue 8:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
∙ Linwood Avenue from O’Donnell Street to Madison Street 8:20 a.m. to 12:50 p.m.
∙ Madison Street from Linwood Avenue to Washington Street to St. Lo
Drive 8:25 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
∙ Harford Road from St. Lo Drive to Hillen Road 8:35 a.m. to 1:35 p.m.
∙ Hillen Road from Harford Road to 33rd Street 8:35 a.m. to 1:35 p.m.
∙ Lake Montebello to 33rd Street to Guilford Avenue 8:40 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
∙ Guilford Avenue from 28th to Howard Streets 8:50 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
∙ Howard Street from 28th Street to Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard 8:55 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
∙ Eutaw St. to finish at M&T Bank Stadium 9:05 a.m. to 3:20 p.m.

Please note that traffic along Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. will remain open in both directions during the marathon.

Personally?  I recommend the Metro and Light Rail to the Chesapeake Real Ale Festival at the Pratt Street Ale House.  Though, as one friend has already related, getting a bus connection from home "is gonna be a b*tch....."