Sarasota wins runner-friendly designation

Sarasota County ran away with another national tourism distinction Monday.

The Road Runners Club of American (RRCA) announced in a news release that Sarasota made its list of four Runner Friendly Communities of 2013. Those on the list, which includes Chatanooga, Tenn., Kalamazoo, Mich. and South Lake, had municiplaities that supported runner-friendly policies, provided infrastructure to support running and built community support for the sport.

The organization listed the hundreds of miles of trails throughout Myakka River State Park, Oscar Scherer State Park and the Legacy Trail as influencing the distinction. RCAA will list Sarasota as a runner-friendly community for the next five years on its website.

"Sarasota enjoys a well-deserved reputation as being committed to developing and maintaining safe pathways for runners while respecting the integrity of environmentally sensitive areas and wildlife habitat,” said Sarasota County Commissioner Joe Barbetta in the elease.