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Atlanta ING Marathon
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2008 ING Atlanta (Read 234 times)
Run To Win
Blaine Moore
 posted: 11/28/2007 at 9:46 PM
Well, this place doesn't seem too active, but I am planning on running the 2008 ING Marathon down in Atlanta. I'm taking the RRCA certification course in the two days leading up to the marathon as well.
Run to Win
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GaReb770
posted: 12/24/2007 at 12:56 AM
Provided the RD has corrected all the water and sports drink issues this is a really great race. You'll go through the most historical parts of town, neighborhood groups will cheer you along the way. The hills are not bad but constant as this is Atlanta. Last years race was 15 degrees above normal. We'll hope it's a tad cooler this year.

Welcome to Atlanta.
PerfesserR
Jazz, happy dog
 posted: 12/26/2007 at 8:22 PM
Well, I hadn't planned to do this one again, especially after the problems they had last year, but a friend from India will be running so it looks like I'm in. I hope the new start/finish area works out better.
No, I don't want the damned combo special. Now quit asking me that.
Run To Win
Blaine Moore
 posted: 12/27/2007 at 1:45 PM
Quote from PerfesserR on 12/26/2007 at 8:22 PM:
Well, I hadn't planned to do this one again, especially after the problems they had last year, but a friend from India will be running so it looks like I'm in. I hope the new start/finish area works out better.


Excellent. We should try to meet up. I'll be pretty busy in the 2 days leading up to the race w/the course, but should be getting to the start plenty early.
Run to Win
I just started using Twitter - anybody else on there? http://twitter.com/RunToWin
PerfesserR
Jazz, happy dog
 posted: 12/27/2007 at 4:46 PM
Cool, I think the new start at Centennial Olympic Park will be an improvement.
No, I don't want the damned combo special. Now quit asking me that.
Runner67
posted: 12/29/2007 at 2:19 PM
Hi guys - as I had posted in another forum (Thanks for this link Blaine), I've signed up for the half. It'll be my first half so I don't have lofy expectations. I appreciate hearing about the issues from last year and will come prepared to fuel myself if needed.

I've laid out what I think is a decent training plan for this event. Provided I can stay healthy, I should be running >13.1 on long runs a couple of weeks prior to the event.

I understand that the course has been modified from last year - not sure if that means taking some of the hills out - thankfully, I have hills galore here to train on (Greenville, SC).

Hope we can keep in touch on this and maybe meet up in between or just before the race.
Hilton Head 1/2 Marathon, Feb 7
ING Georgia Marathon, Mar 29
San Francisco, July 26
GaReb770
posted: 1/12/2008 at 7:19 PM
modified: 1/13/2008 at 1:12 PM
Unofficial updates on the 2008 ING Georgia Marathon gleaned from this morning's Big Peach Running Pacing seminar.

1. The new course will be certified Sunday, January 13, 2008.

2. Changes to the course include the start and finish at Olympic Centennial Park. The Freedom Parkway section has been totally eliminated due to City of Atlanta concerns over traffic issues. Freedom Parkway was one of the more boring sections of the course last year and I haven't heard any runners upset with it's removal. The hills remain - it is Atlanta, folks. Wink

3. New maps should be on the website shortly.

4. Pace groups will be available from 3:10 to 7 hours. The 5 1/2 hours, 6 hour and 7 hour groups will be using walk breaks; all others will be running without walk breaks. Pace group leaders are all Atlanta runners who have a lot of experience running in Atlanta and have ran parts, if not all of the course several times over the years.

5. Expo will be at the World Congress Center this year.

Hope everyone's training is going well.
dgtray
posted: 1/13/2008 at 1:01 AM
Thanks for the info. I was wondering when they would get the courses posted on the web.

The next major question for those of us in Atlanta is how the Peachtree Road Race course will be changed to finish outside of Piedmont Park.
Last: Atlanta Half Marathon
Next: Tybee Island Half, Mercedes Half, ING Georgia Half
GaReb770
posted: 1/13/2008 at 1:09 PM
I'll be doing a 15 mile training run on the ING course in a couple of weeks starting from Ansley. I'll let you know if any new developments occur.

As for Peachtree, since they don't want to change the start, I'm thinking they could simply turn right on 10th Street instead of Left and end up down by Georgia Tech. If the Coliseum isn't far enough down 10th, the parking lots near Centennial Research Building would be great for a finish area.

On the other hand if they moved the start back just far enough at Lenox they could make the course finish right at Georgia Tech's basketball coliseum which has a really big outside area for water, tee-shirts and family reunions. It is also very close to the Midtown Marta station. But I haven't heard anything one way or the other. In the back of my mind it seems like the ATC developed a Plan B a few years ago when the Park looked like it might not be able to be used for the finish.
BaldMike
posted: 1/14/2008 at 9:40 PM
Didn't they have a plan "b" as you said for the sewer project or something like that?

I will be real interested to see the new course developments. There were a couple sections that I thought could have been redone, but Hey, I am new to marathons anyway.
PR 10k - 47: 41 in 2007, goal to break 45 minuntes in 2008
PR 13.1 - 1:44:19
PR 26.2 - 4:24 in 2007, goal to break 3:45 in March 2008

Upcoming races:
March 2008 - ING GA Marathon
July 2008 - Peachtree Road Race
And hopefully the Marine Corps Marathon in October 2008.
GaReb770
posted: 1/14/2008 at 11:08 PM
Quote from BaldMike on 1/14/2008 at 9:40 PM:
Didn't they have a plan "b" as you said for the sewer project or something like that?


It seems like they did, although it was never posted anywhere I'm aware of. But the ATC was definitely entertaining ideas until it became clear the project that was creating the issue would be completed in time for the race. I remember reading an article by Julia Emmons in the ATC Wingfoot after the race about some of the ideas that had been put forth by various parties. But she never indicated which plan would have been put into place had the race not been able to finish at Piedmont Park.

It'll be interesting to see what the ATC comes up with.


dgtray
posted: 1/15/2008 at 11:44 AM
My bad for making the thread about the Peachtree changes. Back to ING Atlanta as GaReb mentioned the race course has been posted to the web http://www.inggeorgiamarathon.com/AssetFactory.aspx?did=372. Hopefully I did the hyperlink correctly.

David
Last: Atlanta Half Marathon
Next: Tybee Island Half, Mercedes Half, ING Georgia Half
BaldMike
posted: 1/15/2008 at 4:08 PM
David,

The new route still has Freedom Parkway on the map. Oh well, I guess we shall see in March we we all run it anyway.

I saw a comment in the AJC today that the only guy who has run all 38 Peachtree Road Races said you could run the Peachtree in the reverse route ending at Lenox Mall. Thats not a bad idea at all if they could stage the starting ques for Marta correctly.
PR 10k - 47: 41 in 2007, goal to break 45 minuntes in 2008
PR 13.1 - 1:44:19
PR 26.2 - 4:24 in 2007, goal to break 3:45 in March 2008

Upcoming races:
March 2008 - ING GA Marathon
July 2008 - Peachtree Road Race
And hopefully the Marine Corps Marathon in October 2008.
dgtray
posted: 1/16/2008 at 12:23 AM
Last year the ING posted a race course that wasn't the route we ran in the half marathon, so I wouldn't be surprised if this one isn't correct too. I wouldn't miss the Freedom Parkway loop if it is changed.

On the Peachtree...that would be a tough race if we ran it in reverse. Currently the first 3 miles and especially miles 2 and 3 are really downhill. However, I'll run it no matter where we start or finish. I like the idea of a Ga Tech or Civic Center finish. We'll see what they come up with.

David
Last: Atlanta Half Marathon
Next: Tybee Island Half, Mercedes Half, ING Georgia Half
GaReb770
posted: 1/16/2008 at 1:35 AM
I'll be mildly surprised if the posted route is the final route. I'm thinking this may be the revised route for the start and finish area before the City of Atlanta informed the marathon they had objections to Freedom Parkway. The City did not voice those objections until just a few weeks ago. I suspect by the end of the month everything will fall in place one way or the other.
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