Atlanta Marathon Hits the Streets Sunday

The Atlanta Track Club’s 2012 Atlanta Marathon and Marathon Relay will be run along the city streets on Sunday, Oct. 28, 2012.

Last year, nearly 1,200 marathon participants and 300 relay teams toed the line and a big turnout is expected for this weekend's event, as well. Sunday will mark the 50th running of the Atlanta Marathon, which was previously held in conjunction with the Atlanta Half Marathon on Thanksgiving Day.

The 26.2-mile course starts and finishes at Midtown’s Atlantic Station and gives runners a tour of Atlanta.

The race begins at 7 a.m. and participants will be running past well known Atlanta sites and neighborhoods including Centennial Olympic Park, Turner Field, Grant Park, Inman Park the Oakland Cemetery and
Old Fourth Ward.

It also will go past  the Georgia Aquarium, Virginia-Highland, Piedmont Park, Morningside and Buckhead.

There will be full and partial street closures during the event, but each street that’s affected will be cleared as the race passes. The marathon course has a 6½ hour time limit (14:53 mile pace) and will close once marathoners doing a 6½ hour pace have passed.

After beginning at Atlantic Station, runners will pass through the downtown area, past Turner Field, then Grant Park, Memorial Dr., Little Five Points, the Highland Ave. area, Piedmont Park, La Vista Rd., the Lindbergh Dr. area and Peachtree Rd., before returning to Atlantic Station.

A course map along with complete street closure information and times is attached with this article.

MARTA bus routes that will be affected by the race include:

1,2,3,6,12,13,16,21,27,30,32,36,37,42,49,51,55,74,99,110,155

Expect significant delays for routes:

12,37,99,51,110

Buses that are rerouted:

1,2,3,6,13,16,21,27,30,32,36,42,49,55,74,155

Reroutes will be as follows:

Route 1 Five Points Station (Inbound)

Regular route

Route 1 Coronet Way (Outbound) projected time 7 a.m.-8:15 a.m.

Continue North Ave.

Right-Tech Pkwy.

Left-Means St.

Right-Marietta St.

Regular route

Route 2 North Ave. Station (Inbound) 7:50 a.m.-10:30 a.m.

Continue Moreland Ave.

Left-Ponce DeLeon Ave.

Regular route

Route 2 Candler Park Station (Outbound)

Regular Route

Route 2 Decatur Station Station (Outbound)

Regular route

Course Information for Participants

• Aid stations and water will be located approximately every mile and a half along the course. Aid stations will also have portable toilets as well as first aid items.
• Accel Gel Advance Sport Gels fuel stations will be located near miles eight and 20 on the course.
• Digital clocks will be located every mile along the course to provide elapsed time.
• The course time limit is 6 1/2 hours (14:53 minute per mile pace).
• Please be aware that the course is not closed to traffic. Runners' lane are marked by traffic cones, and runners will need to stay on the right side of the road at all time.
• For the safety of all Atlanta Marathon participants, no pets or wheeled conveyances including bikes, strollers, baby joggers or in-line skates are permitted on the course. As it’s not a closed course, and so you can hear directions given by race officials, please do not wear headphones during the race.