Out-of-town runners boost El Paso economy during marathon time

EL PASO, Texas - With more than 1,000 runners from outside the borderland set to run in Sunday’s El Paso Marathon, businesses are taking advantage of the economic boost.

More than 4,000 runners are going to hit the pavement Sunday morning for the 14th year in a row. About 30 percent of them from out of town, some from as far as Australia and France. Vendors said the El Paso marathon gives them chance to boost sales, getting all their clients together in one place.

“At the El Paso marathon it tends be more locally El Paso residents and community, but what’s really nice about that is that people will bring in their families that come in from all different aspects of maybe Texas or other places in the nation,” said Michelle Rocha,the retail director for Bauerfeind, a medical brace company. She flew in from San Diego.

On top of normal shopping, runners who come in from out of town contribute a lot more.

“You’ve got hotel expenses, you’ve gotta eat, so you’re out at restaurants. Cabs or Ubers - I’m sure they do some other sightseeing and stuff so they buy other items and stuff while they’re here,” said Chris Rowley, owner of the Up and Running store.

Runners passionate for their sport in one way or another even help maintain the roads the marathon is run on and everyone else uses.

“Sales tax goes all back into, all goes back into the city and to the state. We pay a good chunk of sales tax after today,” Rowley said.

That starting pistol will go off at 7:00 Sunday morning.