ING Georgia Half Marathon

Course Review

Barefooters
Apr 3, 2012
110
2
18
Reviewed By: Barefoot TJ

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Date Reviewed: 03/28/2010
Review Type: Race
Barefoot Friendliness: 3 Average


Location:
Centennial Park
Marietta Street
Atlanta, GA
See map: Google Maps


I love this race. I ran it in 2009 and again this year, 2010. I plan to run it each year I can. This year, Cameron, Terry, and I ran it together. What a blast!
On a barefoot friendliness scale from 1 - 5 with 1 being the most favorable, I would rate the surface as a 3, the people as a 1, and the event as a 1. I highly recommend this race for barefoot runners who are comfortable and confident with 13.1 miles or more.

Course's Surface:
The course's surface consisted of 98% asphalt; the rest was concrete. The asphalt was between smooth and worn but was clean and mostly free of debirs, pot holes, and other hazards. (There were a few small holes that I noticed.) My feet were slightly tender the following day, not surprisingly, since I am still re-conditioning the soles from not running as much through the winter as I normally do the rest of the year, but two days after, I was back to normal.

Crowds:
There were approx. 18,000 runners, and everyone was full of energy and excitement. Cameron, Terry, and I were engaged by friendly runners who were genuinely interested in what it is like to run barefoot. We saw at least 8-10 VFF runners but no other barefoot runners, not to say there weren't any.

Spectators:
The spectators were friendly and inviting. The neighborhoods were not as energetic or frequent as in 2009, but still very warming. There were plenty of water stops along the way. The amount and location of the porta-potties improved from 2009. There were lots of giveaways along the course.

Expo:
There was lots of excitement and energy at the expo. Plenty of vendors offering their wares of every type to suit every runner. Even Injinji five-toed socks were there! Danney Dryer, CHI Running Founder, made an appearance and conducted a lecture. There were reverse bungees for the children.

Transportation:
Many people chose to take Marta into the city which really helps with the traffice congestion. Coming from farther south, I drove in and found plenty of parking at the Dome's parking deck (8 floors). Traffic was easy getting in and out of the city.