I’m in for the half-mary. My first ever so it’ll be a PR regardless of time. I’m shooting for 1:50. Anyone else running it?
I will be missing it this year. The weather looks to be good…cool. It is a good course. Just remember that the last 4 miles are a cumulative uphill.
Holler.
My wife, my mom, two of her friends, and myself are all attending. They’re doing the full, I am only doing the half…
Yeah, I did it on mapmyrun earlier this week and didn’t like what I saw. I was expecting that short climb when you come out of piedmont park, run up 10th & turn down juniper (I think that is the turn), but I didn’t realize it was pretty much up hill from that point out.
I’m glad I did it, b/c I’m going to adjust my splits a little bit.
Techwood and North Ave is a bear. You get a bit of reprieve on Tech Parkway and then again on Marietta. Take it easy on 10th, then attack at Techwood and just try and hold on from there.
I am in for my first full Marathon. Did the half last year and loved the course, and yes, the end is a little tough.
I’m doing the full. Did it last year and I’m hoping to repeat last year’s performance, just a little faster 
I’ll be somewhere around the 3:10 pace group trying to qualify for my first Boston and PR by 22 min.
Okay, no joke… did anyone go to the expo yet??
I kid you not… there is a race there that is advertising itself as a “Marathon 13.1”. I thought all these comments were BS, but apparently, people really are that stupid!
I’m about to head out to the expo. How long will it take to walk around? Is it worth going if you aren’t picking up a race packet?
Actually, yeah the expo was great! Tons of good deals, a TON of free food… and they’re giving away all sorts of freebies. They also have like, 5 different PT/ART stations, all free… it’s basically a moocher’s dream
If half ironmans are now called Ironman 70.3 races, then why can’t half marathons be called Marathon 13.1?
But I agree with you, 70.3 is not an Ironman, and 13.1 is not a marathon.
I thought the expo was pretty good. Weather today is aweful, but supposed to be sunny and 43 tomorrow morning. I did half first year, and full last year. I don’t mean to burst anybody’s bubble, but this IS NOT a PR course. Very, very hilly. Those Druid Hills might as well be the Newton Hills. They really grind on you. The hill up Piedmont Park is also bad, and there is another one heading over to Ga. Tech. Tough course.
I’m doing the half this year, and can’t really see myself doing the full again. Although would like to try and do the Thanksgiving day full on the 96 Oly course.
Good luck to everybody.
I’m doing the half this year, I did the full last year (btw, I live in Chicago - just running it with a friend who lives here). The course is bear, especially if you can’t train on hills, it is not a PR course unless your only other races take place in the Rockies. Last year I had GI issues too, it was a long day to say the least. My training this year has been crap (long run of 8 miles), I have no expectations tomorrow but to push as hard as I can within my fitness level. Frankly, I’m just hoping not to set a PW. Last year I thought I was gunning for a spot for Boston, that’s what thinking will do for you.
Doing it as my first half as well. Haven’t been able to put in the mileage I wanted because of a hip issue from biking, but I will be crossing the finish line. I plan on splitting it up into 3 or 4 run/walk sessions. Either 4 5K’s or a 6/4/2 scenario.
I thought the expo was pretty good. Tons of good deals and tons of great food. All of the volunteers/help were fantastic and very helpful.
To the other’s point, I will not consider myself a marathoner after this just the same as I will not consider myself an Ironman after doing a half this year.
Good luck to everyone running tomorrow!! If you see a very tall guy looking like he’s struggling…help a brotha out!
Jim
Doing it as my first half as well. Haven’t been able to put in the mileage I wanted because of a hip issue from biking, but I will be crossing the finish line. I plan on splitting it up into 3 or 4 run/walk sessions. Either 4 5K’s or a 6/4/2 scenario.
I thought the expo was pretty good. Tons of good deals and tons of great food. All of the volunteers/help were fantastic and very helpful.
To the other’s point, I will not consider myself a marathoner after this just the same as I will not consider myself an Ironman after doing a half this year.
Good luck to everyone running tomorrow!! If you see a very tall guy looking like he’s struggling…help a brotha out!
Jim
So how did everyone do? Tough PR course for sure
I ended up only stopping twice…both times to go to the bathroom. The first time was around mile 6.5 and the second was in Piedmont Park. I think I would have broke 2 hours if not for that. Oh well, had a great time for my first one. Had the HR < 150 up until the hill right after the aid station on 5th. Ran about 165 up to the finish. Definitely a result of not being able to put in the mileage and hitting the proverbial wall.
I did very well. PR by 22+ min and qualified for Boston. With all the talk of how it’s not a PR course, I wonder how fast I could of gone on an “easy” marathon. Maybe 3:05 or less
Here’s the Garmin data for Georgia ING:
http://trail.motionbased.com/...dePk.pkValue=7898159
Nice Race. If you run in Atlanta, you’re use to hills like that. Nothing major on the half that I haven’t trained through.
This was my first half, so I don’t have anything to compare it with. I thought it was a good course, nothing to hard or anything I hadn’t run through before.
I wanted to run sub 1:50 and my Garmin had me at 1:46:xx with 8:13/mi. I dropped my signal a couple times & had “Auto Pause” on at the beginning running through downtown (Note: take this off for next race). I haven’t seen an official time, but it should be somewhere in the 1:47 range. I’m pretty happy with it. My heart rate was in the 160s most of the race.
This was my first large scale race & I’ll probably do a few things different. First, I guess the “No iPods/headphones strictly enforced” was BS. I could’ve used some tunes & will be one of the other 95% of people rocking out as I run. I was late & started a good few minutes after the last group left. I thought I’d be fine & the first 3/4 of a mile was great until I had to constantly weave in and out of people. Why do some people walk 4 wide in the middle of the street!?!? Or dart from the far right to get to the water on the far left and not even try to avoid you? I ran on the side walks most of the time to avoid people. Around mile 9 I finally got into a solid pack running my pace and it started to spread out.
Also, where was the “Free Beer” at the finish. I was looking forward to some carbs in the form of brown water, but couldn’t find any. I did see some folks giving out beer on the course. Pretty funny. It was as you came down the freedom parkway hill and turned right on freedom parkway before North Ave. My buddy got a pick of it, I’ll try to post it later.
On a side note…I got there late and was walking up the CNN center when the race went off. Watching the Pro’s take off was pretty crazy. I was amazed at how fast they were going.
ok…my rant is over.
Finished my first marathon in 3:54. Felt pretty good until about mile 8 when what I believe is some tendinitis in my foot/heel started acting up, by mile 12 it was uncomfortable, by mile 16 it didn’t feel very good at all. At this point I begin thinking, maybe I should stop, but how will I get back to my car, also, I don’t want to DNF, I trained hard for this race, also, I am tough…all the routine stuff that runs through your head in a race. I believe it was about here that I crossed the line between mental toughness and stupidity I limped/ran the last 10 miles, today I can barely walk, not because I am overly sore, but because my foot/heel hurts. Still pretty happy with the time, but think I should have been able to go faster without the heel problem, but who knows until I do another one.
As for the race and the course, I love the course, very pretty, great fan support. The hills are typical of Atlanta, nothing terrible, but they are there, just like what I trained on running around Sandy Springs. Overall a fun race. Just hope my heel gets better soon, next up is St. Anthonys, a 10K should be a walk in the park.
‘‘Marathon 13.1’’
Please tell me that this is something you made up and not some new official trademarked definition of the race!