East Atlanta Neighborhoods to See More Than 18,000 Runners on Sunday

East Atlanta neighborhoods will see more than 18,000 runners pass through its community this Sunday, March 20, when participants in the Publix Georgia Marathon take the streets at 7:00 a.m.

The course, which begins and ends at Centennial Park, runs through downtown via Georgia State University; by the Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center; over the Jackson Street bridge; and into the Martin Luther King Jr. Historic District. The course continues through the Old Fourth Ward and Inman Park neighborhoods, and then continues into Little 5 Points and the Virginia Highlands, Poncey-Highland, Decatur and Midtown communities.

Grant Park is also the site of the Run Wild 5K and Kids’ Fun Run. Both events will be held Saturday, March 19, at 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m., respectively.

US Road Sports & Entertainment Group, along with Publix, is also sponsoring the Georgia Marathon Neighborhood Challenge. Cheering zones are being set up in various neighborhoods and communities along both the Marathon and Half Marathon courses.

The cheering zones are located at:

·       Mile 4, Edgewood Avenue and Randolph Street. Sponsor: Fourth Ward Neighbors/Fourth and SAND.

·       Mile 6, E. Freedom Parkway and North Highland Avenue. Sponsor: Poncey-Highland Neighborhood Association.

 ·       Mile 8, Candler Park Drive and McLendon Avenue. Sponsor: Candler Park Neighborhood Organization.

·       Mile 13, E Ponce De Leon and Clairemont Avenue. Sponsor: City of Decatur

In the days immediately after the race, runners will vote for their favorite cheering zone, and the top two in the Marathon and Half Marathon divisions will be awarded grants for neighborhood fitness initiatives.

Other activities over race weekend include the Publix Georgia Marathon Health and Fitness Expo on Friday from noon to 5:00 p.m., and on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m, at the Georgia Dome.

A May 2010 economic impact study performed by the Temple University Sport Industry Research Center determined that the 2010 Georgia Marathon and Half Marathon generated more than $7 million in economic impact to metro Atlanta. For more information on the event go to www.rungeorgiamarathon.com.