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Above: Runners toe the starting line for the 2010 North Carolina Marathon at Showplace in downtown High Point.

With more time, 20 months, between the 2010 and 2011 races, here’s what there’ll be more of at the North Carolina Marathon on Saturday in High Point:

DIRECTIONS: Announcements before the race, says race founder Melissa Fourrier, will remind runners about potentially tricky turns for marathon and half-marathon competitors. Almost 150 signs will point the way along the course. Yellow spray chalk on the roads, especially on Montlieu Avenue near High Point University, will give directional cues. And if those fail, Marines on Montlieu will tell runners what to do – and, of course, you’d better listen to the United States military.

“We feel like it’s fool-proof,” Fourrier says. “We’re hoping it is.”

MEDICAL ATTENTION: The area running community was touched in October by the tragic death of firefighter Will Caviness at the Chicago Marathon. Five medical stations, Fourrier says, will be set up on the course. Automated external defibrillators will be concentrated near the end, in miles 18-26 of the marathon, and six bicycle emergency response teams will carry AEDs, too.

“They’re just really on top of the game with the way they’re trained,” Fourrier says of medical staff.

CARE FOR RUNNERS: Most of the volunteers and community groups who helped at water stations return, Fourrier says. Twenty-five volunteers on bicycles will patrol, 50 more helpers will be stationed at intersections, and 110 High Point police officers will help keep traffic out of runners’ way.

Then there’s the post-race. A catered light meal by Pepper Moon, beer garden and musical entertainment by Soul Biscuit await runners at the end. A children’s area inside Showplace will provide activities for young spectators.

“There are so many things we do that so many other races don’t do,” Fourrier says. “I believe that adds a personal touch. Runners who experience that tell us it makes a huge difference.”

RUNNERS THEMSELVES: Maybe. Fourrier says the registration pace has picked up this week. Last year, 1,384 runners finished the marathon, half-marathon or 5K. As of Tuesday, 935 had signed up for Saturday events.

“Last year, at packet pickup, we registered 420 people on the Friday and Saturday before the race,” Fourrier says. “If we were able to do that again, we hope that we have about 1,500 runners on race morning.”

The race has changed cities (it started in Greensboro in 2008) and changed seasons (races have been in March or May until this year). What could benefit the race now is long-term stability, and that’s possible with race dates already set for Nov. 17, 2012, and Nov. 23, 2013.

“We have finally reached the month that we wanted all along,” Fourrier says. “This is the best time of the year for a runner to race. We’re thrilled with the month of November. But with the moves, we have hoped people would continue to believe in this race and give us a chance. The numbers are picking up, and we’re feeling good.”

QUESTIONS FROM FACEBOOK

We asked runners on Facebook for their questions, so here we go with some answers:

For Bill McMahon: Neither 2010 marathon winner is returning, meaning it's wide-open. Men's winner Chuck Engle (2:46:04) is committed to race in Tennessee, and women's champion Sam Kilsdonk (2:54:59) has moved to Wisconsin. Race officials have invited but not heard back from Ryan Carroll, who was the first runner across the marathon finish line in 2010 but was disqualified because he had entered the half-marathon. ... As for gels, look for Clif Shots' Razz flavor.

For Yu Tsuchida: Officials say the Primo water and lemon-lime Gatorade should be separated at the stops.

For David Duggan: No cash awards. Prizes will include products, coupons, North Carolina-themed products and other items, officials say.

For Michael Dougherty: Race publicist Liz Summers says: "The goody bag is awesome. It is a backpack and will include a variety of items and coupons specifically geared to runners and provided by UnitedHealthcare and other sponsors." ... Race-day packet pickup will be from 6 to 7:30 a.m. Packet pickup and race registration is also available on Friday at Showplace (211 E. Commerce Ave., High Point) from noon to 10 p.m.  Participants in the 5K can register on Saturday, but there isno race-day registration for the full or half.

NEED TO KNOW

Starting times: 8 a.m. for the marathon and half-marathon; 8:30 a.m. for the 5K.

Course maps, including turn-by-turn: Click here.

Road closures: Click here.

Race-day parking: Click here.

North Carolina Marathon on Twitter (@ncmarathon11): Click here.