Like people, marathons have personalities.

Virginia Beach's Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon is about the oceanfront and music everywhere. The big races in Boston and New York, and at other bustling metropolises, take on the flavor of the host city.

And Chesapeake's?

It's families, nature, history, and, yes, running. But you don't have to be a runner to enjoy Chesapeake's second Dismal Swamp Stomp Half Marathon, which takes place Saturday on the Dismal Swamp Canal Trail.

"We're different. We're not the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon," said Kim Murden, director of the city's Conventions & Tourism. "We're a family event, and this is also an outdoor nature event that runs through history. And then with our two-day Health & Fitness Expo prior to the race, we now offer screenings and other services for the entire family and not just runners."

And what's new this year?

An inaugural half-mile event for children called the Cub Run" is open to children 12 and younger. It allows kids to run down the trail's flat track along with their parents.

Ann Hupp, vice-president and co-owner of KaleRunning, which directs and organizes this USA Track & Field sanctioned race, said the marathon is different because of the trail, its setting and family orientation.

"The trail is unique in every way," she said. "The history that goes along the water canal is amazing: George Washington had an association with it, it was part of the Underground Railroad, and black slaves dug the canal by hand. The rich history should be enough, but then there's the pristine nature setting. You've got the bird watching and the wildlife in the middle of all this. And the race bed itself, runners love it. It's flat and its straight.

"And the Cub Run, which we named after that wooden mama bear at the trail's start, is not about finishing but about participating. Every child entered will receive a goodie bag, T-shirt and a finalist medal.

"This is a family event, where it is our goal to provide a safe environment for everybody. It's cheaper, and more beneficial, for a family to participate in this than going to a movie."

Track & Field News, which presents itself as "the Bible of the Sport Since 1948," mused earlier this year on its Web site about the "Best Race Name Ever? Dismal Swamp Stomp Half Marathon!"

It went on to say "the 13.1-mile foot race follows a straight, pancake-flat course to a large turnaround terminal, enticing runners on a spectacular journey through both lush landscape and rich history. Forested wetlands and the legend of the Underground Railroad are sure to compete for runners' attention while simultaneously imparting a peaceful path through the wilderness."

Murden added that the half marathon was deemed one of the "ten best races for runners," and "a must run" in 2007 by The Washington Post.

All of the above-mentioned features made last year's event such a success.

Murden said 1,700 signed up with about 1,300 actually participating.

"We were expecting around 800 to 1,000, max," she said. "So, that was very exciting."

Hupp, a runner herself, said such a number for an inaugural race is beyond expectations.

"That's really good," she said. "Runners love inaugural races. We expect about the same for this year, but this time they're coming for the track and the race setting."

Murden said runners will hail from 26 states and several top competitors are entered from Kenya, Morocco and Ethiopia.

"And don't forget we'll have several top professional local runners compete, too," Hupp added. "We've got master pro runner John Piggot from the Peninsula; Will Christian, a young Navy ensign and a gifted runner; and Ryan Carroll, a Chesapeake native and a pro athlete who is the cross-country coach at Western Branch High School."

Murden said the idea for the Stomp was born in 2006 during a brainstorming session between members of her department and the Chesapeake Economic Development office. Initially, a race through the city was considered, but the planning fell around the same time the Dismal Swamp Canal Trail opened.

"We thought we should take advantage of that, to showcase one of the city's most beautiful and unique amenities," Murden said. "From there we connected with KaleRunning (a Virginia Beach-based company that organizes and facilitates athletic competitions/races, usually nonprofit events, and supplies and organizes the ChampionChip timing system that uses micro-chips in each runner's shoe). With the city's support and them on board, it turned into a well organized and well received event.

"Last year was a learning experience, and every year we want to do something to enhance the experience. Now we've got the children's run and the two-day health expo. This is not just for runners - families, the entire public can come out."

Eric Feber, 222-5203,

eric.feber@pilotonline.com [1]