This week, Mayor Jake Day was counting down the days to the marathon.

“Eleven. It’s 11 days away,” he said about the highly anticipated SBY Marathon, Half Marathon and 5K scheduled for Saturday, April 28. So far, it has attracted nearly 900 people in 35 states, including two from overseas and registration remains open.

“I cannot wait for this event, and I look forward to getting our city on the map as a national qualifier,” Day said, adding that, as a Boston qualifier, the race will be “unlike anything Salisbury has experienced before.”

Expected to popularize the city and greatly boost the economy, it’s “a tremendous moment for us, a real triumph,” Day said.

“When you look at cities, and what basic, fundamental building blocks of any city is, this is an important thing. We finally have a marathon as part of our portfolio. I’m excited. I think it will go off without a hitch,” Day said.

With a promise of scenic trails along the Urban Greenway, the full marathon course will be 26.2 miles and the half will be 13.1 miles. The other run is the Pinwheels for Protection 5K, sponsored by the Life Crisis Center.

In November it was announced that both the full- and half-runs had been certified by the USA Track and Field organization. By then, 250 registrants had already paid.

Certification of the courses will ensure that distances are measured accurately and allow runners to use their results to apply for events such as the Boston Marathon. The half-marathon course can be used for application for the New York City Marathon.

The marathon will cost the city $100,000, but, Day said, “the potential for tourism is massive.

Proceeds from the event will benefit both Life Crisis and Athletes Serving Athletes, an organization for those living with disabilities who want to compete in mainstream running and triathlon events.

A post-race party will feature local craft beers and music.

Day said all county requests would be met and the city had received a permit from the State Highway Administration. Traffic control will be provided by the race.