The 2009 ING Georgia Marathon is almost here. The course will be the same as last year with some improvements at the start and finish. Last year the March tornado caused havoc with the start and finish areas. Assuming that doesn't happen this year the start and finish will both have wider areas to them. The finish will not have that zigzag route that was necessary last year due to the original route being closed by the tornado. It will be a standard nice wide finish. Corrals will be better marked. The corrals will start immediately one after the other so that the last runners cross the starting matts no later than 22 minutes after the start, which is at 7:04am. The course will close at 2:00pm sharp due to the Hawks/Lakers basketball game which will be getting ready to start in the Phillips Arena. Due to this the 7 hour pace group has been moved to a 6 and 1/2 hour pace group. The course officials will NOT close the course until that group has passed. So if you are contemplating taking more than six hours to finish the course make sure you stay with the 6 1/2 hour Mizuno Pace team or ahead of them. Anyone behind the Pace Team when the half marathoners split from the marathoners will most likely be directed by race officials to the half marathon course. There will be 17 water/gatorade stations on the course as opposed to 23 last year. All 17 stations will have both water and gatorade. The Mizuno Pace Team will have pacers for runners from 3:10 to 6:30. There are 12 or 13 pace teams so you should be able to find a team running your pace. The pace team members will have large bibs on them with the time they are running. The pace teams from 3:10 to 4:30 will be running the race straight through. The five hour, 5 1/2, 6 and 6 1/2 hour teams will use run/walk . Anyone wanting to run those times straight through without run/walk can run with the pace team - just be aware you'll be doing a little tag team action. For half marathon runners you may run with the pace team running the pace you are looking for to the split between the half and full marathon route, which occurs just beyond mile 7. Pace team members will be at the expo on both Friday and Saturday, March 27 & 28 if you have any questions or wish to sign up for one of the teams. You can also simply just show up on race morning and look for us at the front of each corral. We will be well marked. One final note. The full marathon of 3,000 runners has almost reached its limit. Registration for it may be closing any day. The entire race is expected to sell out within the next couple of weeks so if you are contemplating, don't contemplate too long.