Nearly 400 are signed up so far to run through the city on Sunday for the Santa Clarita Marathon, a 26.2-mile qualifier for the Boston Marathon.

In addition to Santa Clarita and Los Angeles-area residents, the expected participants include runners from Canada, France, Korea, El Salvador, Afghanistan, China, Israel, Sweden and Mexico.

The half-marathon was a much more popular option this year, with 1,062 signed up to run so far, according to city officials as of Monday morning. Procrastinators can still sign up, even at the Health Expo the day before the run, but there are additional fees required. There are  1,147 signed up to complete the 5K.

Here’s a map of the routes:

In addition to the big race, a pre-marathon Health and Fitness Expo at the mall is scheduled for Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., when dozens of health-related vendors and information booths will offer up healthy living tips, as well as registration. Runners also can sign up for events and race participants pick-up race bibs and t-shirts at the expo.

The Final Mile Challenge

This year, a Final Mile Challenge, presented by Kaiser Permanente, also wraps up at race time, when more than 1,000 students from five Santa Clarita schools will run the last mile of their 26.2-mile goal at the Santa Clarita Marathon.

The Final Mile Challenge encourages students to set a goal, make it happen and finish what they started. While training to run the final mile, the program encourages students to exercise and form healthy eating habits.

During the first months of school, students must complete all 25 training miles before being invited to run the final mile of the Santa Clarita Marathon. Upon completion of the 25 miles, students receive a Final Mile Challenge t-shirt to wear on race day and as they cross the official Santa Clarita Marathon finish line, they are awarded a Final Mile Challenge finisher’s medal.

Leading up to the race, several schools hosted program rallies where doctors from Kaiser Permanente gave presentations about the program, training for the run and also taught students about the importance of making healthy choices.

Students will line up with their school at 12:30 p.m. on race day to start with a warm-up stretch before the run. Kicking off the Final Mile Challenge will be Helmers Elementary School student, Delaney Rose Stein, with the National Anthem. Delaney is one of many students who tried out for this year’s honor of singing the National Anthem and she will also be participating in the Final Mile Challenge. Parents and residents are encouraged to park at Westfield Valencia Town Center to cheer on student athletes as they cross the finish line on Theater Drive (adjacent to Buca Di Beppo).

Participating schools in the 2016 Final Mile Challenge include Bridgeport Elementary School, Helmers Elementary School, Newhall Elementary School, SCVi Charter School and Tesoro Elementary School. Schools must be invited to participate and are chosen at the annual Arts and Education Meeting.

Santa Clarita Marathon road closures

The Santa Clarita Marathon is, by and large, utilizing the city’s miles of trail systems, in an effort to cut down on the impact for motorists. The routes used include West River Trail, South Fork Trail, Commuter Trail, Valencia Paseos and San Francisquito Trail.

Residents are encouraged to adjust their trail usage until after the conclusion of the Marathon to avoid interfering with runners in the race.

McBean Parkway from Magic Mountain Parkway to Valencia Boulevard will be closed from 5:00 a.m. to 7:15 a.m.  Westbound Valencia Boulevard will be detoured via Citrus Avenue to Magic Mountain Parkway from 6 a.m. to 7:15 a.m.

Magic Mountain Parkway from McBean Parkway to Auto Center Drive will be closed in both directions from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Please use detour available.

Magic Mountain at Tourney Road will be closed from 7:00 a.m. to 7:45 a.m. Drivers should expect delays in the Industrial Center on Avenue Scott, Avenue Stanford, Avenue Rockefeller, Anza Drive and Avenue Hopkins from 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.

Newhall Ranch Road will be closed at Avenue Tibbits and McBean Parkway from 7:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., and one eastbound lane on Copper Hill Drive at McBean Parkway will be closed from 7 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.  

Although Estaban Drive will remain open, motorists should use caution and be mindful of runners crossing the street from 7 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.           

The Cinema Parking Structure and Auto Center Drive Entrance at the Westfield Valencia Town Center will be closed from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. to accommodate race participants.

KHTS AM-1220 has all the information you need to know for race day, including expo info, the race route and sign-up information.

All runners are required to pick up their race packet with ID on Saturday, November 5, 2016 at the Health and Fitness Expo, ahead of Sunday’s race. If a runner can’t make it to pick up his or her race packet, someone else can get it with the runner’s ID, or the runner can get it day-of for an additional $25 fee.

The day also includes a full marathon, a half marathon, a 5K run, Mayor’s Walk and a Kid K run.

All races will begin at 7 a.m., with the exception of the Kid K, which will begin at 8:30 a.m.