Newspaper Page Text
COURSE MAP
| might look like a scene out of a zombie movie.
Except, hopefully, the crowd will be moving faster.
5 If you're headed down Milledge Avenue this Sunday
morning and see the other side of the street filled with a
sweating, heavy-breathing crowd jogging its way toward Broad
Street, do not be alarmed. This is a good thing.
The runners will be part of the second annual Athens, GA
Half Marathon on Oct. 23, which means that
for a few hours before the church crowds 5
start hitting the streets, thousands of g
sneakers will already have hit the pavement. »
The event, a fundraiser for AthFest's edu- 2
cational initiatives, will bring about 2,500 *
runners through the University of Georgia *
campus, up Milledge Avenue, through the 2
historic Cobbham and Boulevard neighbor- £
hoods and along the Oconee River. And £
even if you're not inclined to sign up as a 5
runner, you can still participate by cheering *
them on.
I'll be among those braving Athens' roll
ing hills this year, but I missed out on the
event's inaugural race last year. Which is
fine, especially considering one aspect of
that race won't be included in this year's
event: the steep climb up East Broad Street,
which last year took runners up to the fin
ish line. This year, the race will curve along
the Greenway to the gentler slope of North
Avenue as it heads back to downtown. And
runners this year will see another change
from last year: more of each other.
AthFest director and Athens-Clarke
County Commissioner Jared Bailey says the
inaugural event drew more than the limit
organizers put on registration. "Last year it
went really well," Bailey says. "We had to
turn people away; we had a cap of 2,000."
This year, they raised the cap to 3,000,
and as the Oct. 14 advance registration
deadline approached, more than 1,700 had
signed up. Bailey expects this year's final
tally at least to come close to 2,500, since runners who miss
the advance deadline can register on Saturday at the event's
Heatth and Fitness Expo.
Depending on your view of road races, running with 2,500
people can seem like a lot. But the last race I ran, the Army
10 Miler in Washington, D.C., had more than 35,000 people in
it. This can get claustrophobic at times, but it will keep you
going, knowing there's thousands of people behind you wait -
ng to trample you if you slow down. With the Athens, GA Half
Marathon, the challenge isn't keeping out of other:,' vay, but
r.i'Hur keeping yoor parn while gn’nn i>p and dm* r th.-> hil! r
around downtown.
This year's course was changed for several reasons, accord
ing to Bailey. Parking was a main issue, with the race ending
around the time downtown churches started to fill up. Also,
parts of Foundry Street and Hancock Avenue, part of the race
route last year, are now partially or fully closed for Classic
Center construction. And then, there was that hill up East
Broad.
"We made three major changes," Bailey says. "We are start
ing on campus, on South Thomas Street, right behind that
big deck on North Campus. That means that we are kind of
removed from the downtown area and any conflict with the
churches, plus there is a 1,200-car parking deck that is open
and free on Sunday mornings, and another 500 surface spaces
on the other side."
With the construction on Hancock and Foundry, Bailey says,
the course needed to take a different route. So, organizers
expanded the section of the race along Dr. Martin Luther King
Parkway and Willow Street and winding up North Avenue's
gradual hill to downtown.
Star!
Stop
C(\*v 1’fact'oo
U<iA arripus
DowMuwro Arrvns
Sta* or>
f r<! AkS
The final major change is that the r ace will end on
Clayton Street downtown, instead of Washington Street, as
it did last year. "Part of that is it's a little further away from
the churches," Bailey says, "and it's also closer to the new
[Washington Street] parking deck."
This will be my fourth half marathon, and even though I've
gone through the training routine several times, it's still nerve-
wracking. So, imagine if it's your first time, like novice runner
Heather Heyn. Although she's a personal trainer, running has
neve- been her forte— until, while sipping a glass of wine a
f> • rn< - tK ago, she deriH^d to take *he plunge She got so^e
books and started a training program, along with a Facebook
group that now has about 30 followers. She organizes runs a
couple times a week and says she's excited about the chance to
see so much of Athens on a quiet Sunday morning—to "watch
the city wake up," she says.
And that's one of the hidden perks of running a half mara
thon. A race I ran in Baltimore several years ago gave me an
up-close look at neighborhoods throughout the city, including
places I probably would never have driven through if I had a
car. Another race in Atlanta helped me make the connection
between Virginia Highland. Inman Park and Little Five Points.
And I saw lots of interesting stores and restaurants on foot
that I would never have seen while driving. That's one of the
great things about half marathons: the chance to cover a lot
of ground in a city and view it as a resident, rather than as a
tourist.
"If you had told me six months ago I'd be running a half
marathon, I'd be like, 1 have bad knees...*" Heyn says. "But
it really is mental—it makes you feel more powerful. And you
connect with people you wouldn't normally connect with."
Here is some advice to anyone who is
curious about a half marathon but isn't
running this weekend: come out and cheer
us on. Seeing the streets lined with specta
tors gives runners something to run for.
You're not just competing for yourself; you
have thousands of people watching you,
and you don't want to blow it.
Heyn says she recently ran nine miles by
herself, and one of the best parts was when
she saw a woman standing on the opposite
side of the street, watching her.
"I look up and she didn't say anything—
she just did this," Heyn says, raising her
fist in a show of solidarity and strength. "I
say, do anything that is positive."
Kristen Morales
The Halt Marathon Health and Fitness Expo runs
noon 6 p m Saturday, Oct 22 at the Holiday Inn
Express. 513 W Broad St Online registration has
closed, but runners may register in person at the
New Balance store at 1850 Epps Bridge Pkwy
through Friday, Oct 21 or at the Expo The 13.1-
mile race starts at 7 a m Sunday. Oct 23 at 215
S. Thomas St in downtown Athens For more into,
visit www athensgahalt com
TIPS FOR SPECTATORS
Planning on watching the race? Here are some
things to know, from a spectator’s perspective.
ALERT THE NEIGHBORS Cow bells, rattlers, cym
bals any noisemakers are appreciated by the run
ners. But because your noise could start as early
as 7:30 a.m.. it's best to let your neighbors know,
too. And then they can |om you.
YOU’RE GOING TO REPEAT YOURSELF: Every time
one runner or a group runs by, you’ll probably find
yourself cheering the same thing. But it*s the first
time they’ve heard it, so go for it.
LOOK FOR NAMES: Often, runners will write their
• »• •. •. •» . ~ ♦ -—»- • -
names on their shirts or arms, so you can custom
ize your yells to them. And you don't have to get
fancy; sure, costumes are great, or music from a
speaker system, but as a runner, all you care about .
are people simply cheering you on. You can just
stand at the end of your driveway and clap, and
runners will appreciate it.
EVERYONE’S A WINNER When you're watching a
race, it's not just about the fastest people: they've
done this a million times. Instead, wait around !U8
for the average Joes - people who run 10-, 11- or
8 FLAGPOLE.COM • OCTOBER 19, 2011
