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PROVIDENCE ROGUE RUN Jackson County run now an official qualifier for Boston Marathon By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Posted May. 29, 2015 @ 2:41 pm By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Posted May. 29, 2015 @ 2:41 pm » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> There is now a direct path to the Boston Marathon from the Rogue Valley — figuratively speaking. The Providence Rogue Run marathon course is now an official qualifying route for the famed New England race. Darren Ravassipour, race and Team Rogue co-director, says he received news about the certification from USA Track & Field this morning, about two months after submitting the paperwork in April.  "It's taken collectively well over 100 hours of work to put it together," Ravassipour said. "But it was all worth it."  Ravassipour and Team Rogue co-director David Wright first founded the Rogue Run course in 2011, but wanted to take it further as a way to draw more racers from outside the area and promote tourism. "To get it certified is a really big deal for the valley," says Kelly Ravassipour, a Team Rogue official, Jackson County Circuit Court judge and Darren's wife. "I'm thrilled." The process is a bit more onerous than just measuring a course. It has to be plotted and measured multiple times, with temperature factored into the total distance, as heat and cold can affect the materials used, shrinking the measuring tape slightly, for example.  "You have to take that into account," Ravassipour says. "It's a scientific process." The 26.2-mile course begins at Emigrant Lake outside Ashland. It runs along Highway 66 to East Main Street, then winds through Ashland until it connects with the Bear Creek Greenway. The rest of the course runs on the Greenway, passing through Talent, Phoenix and Medford,  finishing at the Jackson County Fairgrounds in Central Point. Race officials laud the route as a fast one because of the gradual downhill.  "It's spectacular standing up at the top of Emigrant and looking out," Kelly Ravassipour says. "I'm really excited for the runners."  Boston qualifying times range from three hours and five minutes to five hours and 25 minutes, dependent on age group and gender, according to the Boston Athletic Association website, www.baa.org .  Darren Ravassipour says Craig Leon, a Eugene native who recently took first in that city's marathon earlier this month and also placed first in last year's Rogue Run, will "test run" the course this weekend.  "He's been a great partner throughout this process, giving a lot of information on what makes a race better," he says.  The course's first Boston Marathon-qualifier will be held Sept. 20. Entrants also can choose to run a half-marathon or 10K. For more information or to sign up, visit www.theroguerun.com .  Reach reporter Ryan Pfeil at 541-776-4468 or [email protected] . Follow him at www.twitter.com/ryanpfeil . By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Posted May. 29, 2015 @ 2:41 pm » Comment or view comments /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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