About Flagpole. (Athens, Ga.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 19, 2011)
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
