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Atlanta Marathon Information
The oldest marathon in the Southeast and one of the ten oldest in the country, The Weather Channel Atlanta Marathon on Thanksgiving Day is also the only U.S. marathon run on an Olympic course--approximately 90% of the course is the same as that run by the world's best at the Atlanta Games in 1996. Runners pass under the Olympic Rings on their way to the finish line, an exhilarating end to a challenging event. The accompanying half marathon is among the largest in the U.S., and while slightly less demanding is still guaranteed to work up runners' appetites. Together, the two races have become a holiday tradition for thousands of runners and hundreds of friendly and dedicated volunteers.
The starting line for the half marathon - which, unlike the full marathon, is a point-to-point race - begins at the halfway point in the full marathon, on Peachtree Road just north of the intersection with Clairmont Road, within walking distance of the Chamblee MARTA station (the local rapid transit train service). The Atlanta Track Club strongly recommends taking MARTA to and from the race, due to the large number of participants in the half each year.
From there, the race course takes runners along Peachtree Industrial Boulevard and through the city's famed Buckhead neighborhood and shopping district. After that, the course winds along a mostly flat stretch through Buckhead, followed by a fairly long downhill that leads to the locally famous "Cardiac Hill," near Piedmont Hospital.
The course then winds through the city's Midtown and downtown areas, passing by historic sights like the Margaret Mitchell House & Museum, the Gold Dome state capitol building and the finish line at Turner Field, home of professional baseball's Atlanta Braves. As one HalfMarathons.Net reader wrote, "the Atlanta Marathon is full of scenery and shops to watch while you run. There is also many water and powerade stations located throughout the race. Every finisher gets a medal, and when you finish you get a large bag of pre-packaged food. it really is a fun race."
Race Weather & Climate
Atlanta weather tends to be cool to cold on Thanksgiving Day, and November temperatures average between 44°F and 63°F. Winds and rainfall are always a possibility, as the city averages about 4.1 inches of precipitation for the month.
Fees
$45 for the half marathon, if registered by August 31, 2010
$55 between September 1 - October 31
$65 between November 1 - 22
$75 at the weekend race expo on Nov. 24
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