By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Julie Isphording's goal is 15,000 runners, but this year she'll settle for 10,000. She could end up with 12,000.

Isphording, the Thanksgiving Day Race director, abandoned the old Covington-to-Cincinnati route last year for a loop course that begins and ends at Paul Brown Stadium.

"I wanted to make it more accessible," she said, "and I wanted some place that had the facilities to build this into a race for 15,000. I was hoping for 10,000."

RACE AT A GLANCE

• What: The 93rd running of Thanksgiving Day Race. • When: 9 a.m. start, Thursday. • Where: Start and finish at Paul Brown Stadium. • Distance: 10 kilometers (6.2 miles). • To register: $15 at Roncker's Running Spot at 1993 Madison Road or $25 on race day at Paul Brown Stadium.

Last year's 92nd running drew a record 8,997. That was 2,523 more than ran the year before, which was the previous record. This year, as of Monday, the registration was 2,000 ahead of last year.

"I think we're going to have 12,000," she said. "I'm panicking."

This year's 10-kilometer race is at 9a.m. Thursday at Paul Brown. The course is virtually the same as last year.

There were some initial complaints about scrapping the old course. The previous 91 races had started in Kentucky and ended in Cincinnati. But the change turned out to be a popular one.

"Absolutely," Isphording said. "I got over 1,000 e-mails. Everyone loved it."

Both of last year's winners, John Sence and Kathryn Krieger, have registered to run again this year.

Sence has won the race the last two years and the last five times he's run it.

Henry Dennis, last year's runner-up. is also expected to run. Dennis recently ran a 29:10 10k, so Sence could get a major challenge.

"It's shaping up to be a really big race," Isphording said.

Krieger was visiting from San Francisco for last year's race.

"She decided to fly in for it again," Isphording said.

Krieger beat two-time defending champion Jill Tranter last year.