Runners race through wet Detroit Free Press Marathon

Thousands took part in the Detroit Free Press Marathon, despite some rain dampening the day.

Under cloudy skies and periodic rain, thousands of runners trotted over the Ambassador Bridge Sunday for the Detroit Free Press International Marathon.

The annual race was expected to draw more than 26,000 runners from across the world, including 4,000 Canadians.

Windsor’s Corey Bellemore won the international half marathon with a time of 1:07:18.

An updated route took runners around Windsor City Hall before they entered the Windsor-Detroit Tunnel to return stateside.

Off the path, hundreds of volunteers, friends, and family members cheered on participants.

“On a day like today, we didn’t want to miss it,” said Lakeshore’s Dani Probert, who was there to cheer on her son and many friends participating.

“I figure if they can run in this, we can come out and ring a little bell and hopefully give them some encouragement.”

Throughout the Windsor portion of the marathon, five cheer zones were set up for supporters to gather.

Among them was Lori Multari, who was volunteering with the race for the first time.

Standing along Park Street, Multari said she wanted to support the “joint friendship” between Detroit and Windsor.

Despite the ongoing political turmoil between Canada and the U.S., she feels the race is a symbol of the steady relationship between the two cities.

“I think regardless of people who want to go between us, we’re more alike than different,” Multari said.

“There’s always going to be a friendship between Windsor and Detroit.”

While the marathon closed many Windsor streets and halted tunnel traffic, all roads have reopened.