ING Marathon & Half Marathon

If you're into sports and you're into helping others, races are great ways to combine your "into's"! This is a great race, lots of fun and a real challenge...

What: ING Georgia Marathon & Half Marathon
Where: Atlanta, Georgia. The start and finish line will be at Centennial Olympic Park.
When: Sunday, March 30, 2008
Who: 15,000 runners and wheelers, amateurs and professionals; 30,000 spectators
Web site: www.inggeorgiamarathon.com

Start Time: 6:55 am Wheelchair start; 7:00 am Runners start will be staggered by expected finish times

Registration: The event is expected to sell out again in 2008 with 15,000 participants. Registration is available online. The half marathon (runners and wheelers) is $75 and registration for the marathon is $95. Anyone not registered in the Marathon or Half Marathon by Sunday, February 24th, 2008, will not have their first name printed on their bib number.

Distance: Marathon- 26.2 miles and Half Marathon- 13.1 miles (wheelchair race is half marathon distance). There is a 7 hour time limit.

Official Course: The start line will be positioned outside Centennial Olympic Park on Marietta Street in downtown Atlanta. Runners and wheelers will proceed east along Marietta as they follow the official route marked in orange. All participants will end the race at Centennial Olympic Park. The park will host activities for spectators and runners all day.

Expo: Health & Fitness Expo is free and will be located at the Georgia World Congress Center on Friday March 28 (9 a.m. to 8 p.m.) and Saturday March 29 (9 a.m. to 6 p.m.). The Expo is where event participants pick up race packets, and all exhibits are open to the public. Special guest speakers will include Dick Beardsley, Scott Rigsby and Nancy Clark. More details are listed at the official Web site.

Tot Trot: The Publix Tot Trot will be held at Atlantic Station in Atlanta at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 29. This is open to the first 1,000 children, 8 years old and younger, who register online or at the event. Registration is $15 in advance and $20 the day of the event.

Volunteers: Over 2,000 people are needed for race weekend. Individuals and groups may register online at http://www.inggeorgiamarathon.com/Race_Info/Volunteers.htm

Race Management: Georgia Marathon, LLC and the Race Director is Victoria Seahorn. She is a resident of Decatur, Ga who has completed 29 marathons and numerous half-marathons. In addition, she has created training programs to guide more than 10,000 people to achieve their goal of completing a marathon.

Title Sponsor: Running, as a sport, reflects the many of ING’s core values such as challenging limits, long-term vision and doing things differently. As a sponsor for top marathons around the globe, ING recognizes the popularity of one of the most democratic sports in the world. The company’s global sponsorship focuses on the individual and community alike. Running is universal, simple and accessible thereby matching ING's personality & values. The company has maintained a long history of support for major marathons and other running events around the world. Some of the company’s 18 sponsored events include: The ING Amsterdam Marathon, the ING Bay to Breakers 12K in San Francisco, ING Brussels Marathon, ING Georgia Marathon, ING Miami Marathon, and the ING New York City Marathon.

Other Sponsors:(alphabetical order) Atlanta Sports & Fitness, Big Peach Running Company, Cumulus Radio, Delta Air Lines, Emory Healthcare, Gatorade, Mizuno, MARTA, Omni Hotel, PSI Promotional Solutions Inc., Realbuzz.com, RRCA, Waffle House, WXIA.

Charity Partner: ING Run for Something Better, a charitable companion to ING’s marathon sponsorship, helps fund local running programs that help kids and their communities become healthier, stronger and more fit. Additional information is available at www.ingrunforsomethingbetter.com.