The Detroit Free Press/Flagstar Bank Marathon became one of the superstars of marathon events this year. The organizing staff and supporting crew have been working for six years to get to this level. Cinderella's glass slipper at last arrived.

Detroit's streets were filled with runners, spectators and thousands of volunteers. The starting line was spectacular, especially with lights of Comerica Park turned on.

The race is fortunate to have the Ambas-sador Bridge and Detroit Windsor Tunnel companies as partners. These two structures help make the marathon special and unique. I heard many runners comment about the incredible sunrise as they reached the pinnacle of the bridge.

Special thanks go to Detroit head construction supervisor Alex Davis for coordinating repairs of many roads that were on the course. The boulevards of Detroit are beginning to blossom, and by next year's marathon runners will see a whole new look to the city.

Equal thanks go to Detroit's Tactical Operations for coordinating runners' safety across 26 miles of downtown roadway. Shutting down roads, rerouting traffic and keeping runners on course is no easy task.

It was great to see Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and Windsor's new mayor Eddie Francis at the pre-race press conference, showing their support. The big coup was having not only First Gentleman Dan Mulhern run the race, but Gov. Granholm giving high fives to runners throughout the course.

The race's 40-percent jump in participation should give it even more clout to promote itself in both cities. Churches and apartments along the route are much more informed now than in past years, but residents need to take more ownership of the event and embrace it as citizens of New York and Boston do.

Many factors went into the increased participation. The addition of the half-marathon - done in spite of initial skepticism from some - was a major factor. Shorter events, like the Reebok Relay and St. John's 5K, can be stepping stones to the marathon. They have helped make the Freep a friends-and-family event, promoting fitness and health for all.

Detroit has a long way to go to become one of the fitter cities in America. There is no shortage of companies willing to promote healthier activities. The Whole Foods Market Health and Fitness Expo had a record number of vendors and needed Cobo Hall's spaciousness to accommodate all its activities.

Kudos to race director Pat Ball Dlugokinski, her staff and the thousands of volunteers. It takes more than a village to make it all work. There are literally a million details that go into putting on a marathon. An entire year's work goes into one weekend.

Course marshals and police worked together. Start-line coordinators worked with split timers. Barricades were set up as pre-sweep and lead- vehicle drivers arrived. Water, spirit and entertainment stations were strategically placed to aid runners in the quest for achievement. Finish- line coordinators draped the field with sponsor banners and runners in silver capes and finishers' medals as the medical and food crews provided assistance at Ford Field.

It was an amazing sight for runners and spectators as they crowded inside and out of the stadium. The race slogan is, "You Can Do This" - and they did.

Former Detroit Free Press/Flagstar Bank Marathon race director Doug Kurtis holds world records for the most sub-2:20 mara-thons (76) and marathon wins (40). He may be contacted at dkurtis@earthlink.com. MR