Don't start too fast and you'll be fine. Photo: Courtesy of the BMW Dallas Marathon
More than 30,000 runners and walkers will take part in the Dallas Marathon weekend that starts today.
Why it matters: Participants have spent months training for the race, and the events give non-runners a chance to make funny signs and cheer on people crazy enough to run for hours straight.
Flashback: In March 1971, 81 runners from across the country ran the first Dallas marathon at White Rock Lake.
The race was known as the White Rock Marathon until 2012.
Zoom in: There are sold out events all weekend, starting with a one-mile race tonight around Dallas City Hall Plaza.
A 5k and 10k take place tomorrow morning through downtown, shutting down several streets.
The marathon, half marathon and ultra marathon cover miles of the city Sunday.
Sunday's races go through downtown, Uptown, the Park Cities, south on Greenville Avenue and along Ross Avenue. The marathon and ultra circle White Rock Lake.
The intrigue: Anyone can visit the marathon's free health and fitness expo 11am-6pm Friday and 9am-6pm Saturday at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center.
It's a good spot to try on fitness gear.
Pro tip: Unless you want to cheer on runners, avoid the city center and surrounding neighborhoods until Sunday afternoon.
