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The Martians invade Saturday, April 9, when the 10th annual Martian Invasion of Races returns to Dearborn, with 8,000 runners expected.

The event will feature traditional 26.2-mile and 13.1-mile half marathon races, as well as the Meteor 5K and 10K, and the increasingly popular kids’ marathon.

The Martian Invasion of the Races, conducted by Ann Arbor-based organization Running Fit, is designed to help promote an active, healthy lifestyle – especially for children – with the long-term goal of ending childhood obesity and the diseases that result from a sedentary lifestyle.

Partial proceeds for the 2016 event will benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in Training (Michigan Chapter) and the Dearborn Recreation & Parks Department.

Ford Field Park is the base of operations for all the races. Starting times are as follows:

• 7:15 a.m. Marathon 
• 8 a.m. Meteor 5k and 10 K Runs
• 8:45 a.m. Half Marathon  
• 11:40 a.m. Kids 1.2 Mile Marathon

All five of the races will begin and end in the main parking lot at Ford Field Park and follow a route that may take them through a portion of Dearborn neighborhoods, impacting the following streets for a very short duration: Brady, Morley Avenue, Military, Golfview, Cherry Hill Road, Golfcrest Drive, Shady Hollow Drive, Meadowlane Road and Willoway Road.

There will also be lane closures on eastbound Ford Road and westbound Michigan Avenue on the day of the race.

“This is a great event, not just for runners, but for our entire Dearborn community,” said Greg Orner, Dearborn Recreation & Parks director. “Many of our local runners, including a lot of kids from the Dearborn Pubic Schools, participate, and the event also draws thousands of runners from throughout the Midwest.”