The addition of a ‘Finishers Village,’ a two day Health & Fitness Expo and a newly designed course spice up the 53rd running of the marathon.
ATLANTIC CITY — The organizers of this year’s Atlantic City Marathon, organized through the Katz JCC in Margate, have clearly made a decision.
Let’s spice things up a bit.
Yes, they’ve got a 53-year-old marathon tradition and the race is still a qualifier for the Boston Marathon. More than 3,000 runners have already signed up for the events (which include a half marathon and a 10K and 5K run), easily topping last year’s 2,700 runners and with more likely to register on race day, Sunday, Oct. 16.
And this year a new course design is in effect to take better advantage of Atlantic City’s northside Boardwalk and the scenic back-bay views of Downbeach.
So the racing part is there and going strong.
All that was left was to spice up the marathon weekend.
And that’s when organizers decided to just have a big old party.
The weekend begins with a Sports and Fitness Expo Friday and Saturday at Bally’s. The Expo features more than 50 vendors from Hippie Runner to Renault Winery (wine’s good for the heart, you know). Also featured is a pre-race dinner for runners on Saturday.
Then, on race day, there will be a finisher’s village at the marathon’s end at Bally’s Dennis Courtyard featuring more vendors, food and live entertainment.
“We think it’s going to be a really great event to finish the race,” says Genia Chapman, co-race director for the marathon. “Especially if we have the type of weather we had last weekend [so far the forecast looks good].”
On top of that, racers this weekend can expect an impressive array of live entertainment and music to highlight their 26.2-mile trip around the island.
Equity Communications, which owns radio stations 95.1 WAYV, 100.7 WZXL, 96.1 The Touch and 99.3 Kissfm, has set up a line-up of live bands, radio broadcast vans and disc jockeys to cover 17 “cheer zones,” water stops and pretty much anywhere fans tend to congregate to make the course one of the liveliest marathons anywhere.
Of course, despite all this music, food and shopping, a marathon is still basically a run around the island.
This year’s course has been redesigned. Though runners primarily run along the Boardwalk and beachfront of Absecon island, two significant loops will take the runner through the city’s Inlet section and also along the bay and Amherst Avenue in Margate.
Plus, the Atlantic City Triathlon, the Album of the Week (Bob Dylan's superb 'Tempest') and Drew Toonz.
Plus the late Levon Helm's local ties and Drew Toonz
Plus Drew Toonz, the Album of the Week (Howlin' Wolf) and 2012 AC Marathon Races
Get your Fred Astaire-inspired feet over to Bally’s Grand Ballroom on Saturday, Jan. 29, for its inaugural Swing Era Marathon Dance-Off.
This week's photos include shots from the 'Movers. Shakers. Difference Makers.' event at The Palm, 52nd Atlantic City Marathon, AC Weekly's Local Music Guide Launch Party at Stockton, Boogie Nights, the Downbeach Film Festival's AC Cinefest, The Palm, and more. (Photos by AC Weekly photographers or submitted)
The Marathon has also upped the prize pool for the race to about $18,000. The marathon winners, male and female, will receive a $2,500 cash prize...
It was a sad day in late September for Barbara Altman, local radio host and the longtime race director of the Atlantic City Marathon, as she made calls to the local media. The race, a more than 50-year tradition in the city, would not be held since no race director had been found. After 20 years, Altman was stepping down and had not found a capable replacement. The announcement came less than a month before the marathon’s scheduled Oct. 18 date.
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