Classic City Marathon takes its mark
Throughout the years, Athens has hosted numerous races including the AthHalf, the New Years at Noon 5k and the Firefly series. On Jan. 28, 2024, the first complete marathon in Athens, the Classic City marathon, will finally get its chance to shine.
Co-Directors Emily Noble and Monica Huff are not new to the race game. The two participate in the Athens Road Runners, an organization focused on engaging with runners and helping them train. While Noble and Huff have extensive experience, this is the first time they’ve taken on this much responsibility planning a race.
“It’s a big learning process. A lot of us have race experience and our club (Athens Road Runners) puts on the Marigold 10k and the Milledge Mile, but putting on a marathon, a half marathon and a relay is a lot. We’re learning a lot from road closures to working with the police, with UGA, and with leisure services because we go through parks,” Huff said.
After running in 129 marathons, Huff is excited to debut Athens’ first marathon.
“I’m the current president of the Athens Road Runners, which is a 11-year-old community running group here in Athens. I was talking to Noble and some other Athens Road Runners and we felt like we needed a marathon here in Athens,” Huff said.
Once they pick up their $125 bibs, runners will take their places at 7:30 a.m. Beginning at the Classic Center, then winding through neighborhood streets and finishing back where they started, the 26.2 mile race will certainly be an Athenian challenge.
Throughout the course, community members can support the runners at six designated cheer sections; one at the start and another at the finish with the other four scattered throughout the route.
“We’re hoping to have a lot of people out there cheering and supporting the runners,” Huff said. “We’re hoping to get a really fun community going to create year one of an annual celebration of running.”
Cheer zones are difficult enough to assemble, but the organizers also have to coordinate with police officers to ensure the safety of participants as well as spectators.
“There’s just a lot more than I think we realize that goes into it and it can be dangerous,” Noble said.
Along with having police officers positioned, there will be accompanying bike escorts throughout the forest paths in case runners are in need of assistance. To guarantee hydration, water stations will also be provided every 2-3 miles. Planning details even involve precisely how water is distributed. Volunteers handing out water have to carefully hold the plastic cups by the top so runners can grab them without stopping.
“We actually have a training before the event for volunteers who are doing water stops. There’s a specific protocol for that,” Noble said.
For additional safety, Piedmont Athens Regional will have multiple medical tents set up at the event. Support from sponsors like Piedmont made it possible for organizers to add new activities and races to the schedule. A four person marathon relay, costing $220, and a series of events, called Go Greek, for local fraternities and sororities will also take place.
“We’re hoping to get a lot of people that are in the Greek system participating,” Huff said. “We’ve already had some of our ambassadors reach out and say they’ll get a banner competition going with the sororities and fraternities.”
These other additions have been created to attract more Athenians to join the unique experience. The Athens Road Runners are also offering free training every Saturday in Five Points for the marathon to help runners prepare and strategize for their races.
“Athens Road Runners has a local run every Saturday, and we’re encouraging people that are signed up for the marathon, the half, or the relay to come run with us,” Huff said.
As the marathon enters its final stages, coordinators have gained insight on how to correspond with the community.
“It’s been a bit difficult logistically to get the course together so there’s been a lot of back and forth on that, but overall, everything has worked out okay,” Noble said
