FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ING Georgia Marathon Named
RRCA State Championship Course
Designation Brings Special Awards for
More Categories of Marathoners
(Oct. 18, 2007, ATLANTA) –The ING Georgia Marathon has been named the 2008
Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) State Marathon Championship for
Georgia. Qualified runners of the 26.2-mile course now have an opportunity
to compete for special awards, presented by the RRCA and Gatorade - top
open male/female; masters male/female (40 years and older) and grandmaster
male/female (50 years and older) winners from Georgia.
"The State Championship designation recognizes our efforts to create a
memorable race with a certified course that balances the runner experience
with security and safety," said Victoria Seahorn, race director of the ING
Georgia Marathon & Half Marathon, set for Sunday, March 30. "We expect
another sell out of 15,000 participants for our second annual event. And
once we are established, our goal is for the RRCA to name the ING Georgia
Marathon as a regional championship."
All 2008 marathoners from Georgia are automatically eligible for the RRCA
State Championship awards. The RRCA State Championship designation is
another accolade for one of America's most popular springtime urban races.
According to Running USA, the 13,730 runners who participated in the
inaugural 2007 marathon and half marathon (15,000 registered) were part of
the second largest inaugural combo running event of all time. The combined
inaugural event boasted a completion rate of nearly 97 percent, with 4,340
completing the marathon and 8,918 completing the half marathon within the
7-hour time limit. Nearly 70 percent of race participants were Georgia
residents.
The Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) is the oldest and largest
grassroots distance running organization in the country. RRCA membership in
Georgia includes 29 clubs throughout the state representing nearly 7,000
runners. RRCA annually designates state championships in each state in
standard distances of 5K, 10K, 15K, half marathon and marathon. Since 1958,
RRCA has awarded championships for the state, regional and national levels
through a competitive bidding process. "The goal of the RRCA Championship
Events is to help the host club or event recruit top performing runners,
attract sponsors, improve civic and media support, and promote fitness
through running" said Marlene Atwood, past RRCA state representative in
Georgia. "The championship designation communicates to race participants
and the community that the race organizers follow approved RRCA safety
standards and guidelines for the race."
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