ING Georgia Marathon & Half Marathon Reaches Registration Milestone

(Jan. 4, 2007, ATLANTA) – The ING Georgia Marathon & Half Marathon reached a major milestone in registrations with more than 10,000 runners, walkers, and wheelchair athletes signing up for the Sunday, March 25 race. Reaching the 10,000-runner mark more than eight weeks ahead of expectations, the event, which is limited to 15,000 participants, is expected to sell out quickly.

"Safety is our first concern, so once all spots are gone we will not want to expand the field beyond 15,000. Next year it might be different. This year, it is important to create a race that is safe, fun, and memorable for all participants: runners, wheelchair athletes, walkers, volunteers and for the spectators who come out to cheer," said Victoria Seahorn, race director of the ING Georgia Marathon & Half Marathon.

A field of 15,000 is one of the largest in the country for any inaugural marathon. The ING Miami Marathon, a similar event being held at the end of this month, began five years ago with 10,000 runners. Just this year, the race expanded the field to 15,000. "The ING Georgia Marathon will not only be a great event for the participants, but it will create significant economic impact as well," Seahorn added.

Compared to other marathons in Georgia, the inaugural event is quickly on its way to becoming the largest long-distance event in the state. The Atlanta Marathon & Half Marathon usually attracts close to 9,000 participants with nearly 90 percent of those participating in the half marathon. From the entries received through January 1, 2007, the ING Georgia Marathon & Half Marathon organizers have confirmed that, approximately 45 percent are registered for the marathon and 55 percent for the half marathon. Participants have registered from all 50 states and 18 countries.

The state has several smaller races with both a marathon and half marathon option including: the new Alpharetta Marathon & Half Marathon, expecting a field of 2,500 runners; The Memorial Health Tybee Island Marathon & Half Marathon (in it’s 12^th year) and the Hughston Callaway Gardens Marathon & Half Marathon (7^th year), expecting fields of close to 1,500 each.

"With the abundance of successful marathons in the U.S. and around the world, there is always a risk when launching a new event," said Ron Wayne, former U.S. National Marathon Champion and director of running and volleyball promotions for Mizuno, one of the race sponsors. "[Race Director] Victoria Seahorn, and her staff have developed a user-friendly, informative race web site, have extensively promoted the race within the state of Georgia, and have attended many top national marathon race expos promoting the race on a national and worldwide level. As a result of all their efforts, the ING Georgia Marathon & Half Marathon is well on its way to reaching its participation goal of 15,000 runners."

With 79 days to race day and less than one-third of registration spots available, Seahorn added, "This race is becoming an incredible reality. We’re working around the clock to create a memorable experience for every runner, walker and wheelchair athlete. We’re doing this to deliver one of the best springtime, neighborhood-based marathons and half-marathons in the country."