Half Marathon Runs through Midtown on Turkey Day

The Atlanta Half Marathon, organized by the Atlanta Track Club, is among the largest half marathons in the U.S. and a Thanksgiving tradition for thousands of people throughout the metro Atlanta area and beyond.

The 7:30 a.m. race starts and finishes on Capitol Ave. at Hank Aaron Dr. just outside of Turner Field in downtown Atlanta. Registration for the event closed Tuesday.

MARTA will be running additional service beginning around 5 a.m. on Thanksgiving to accommodate participants and help alleviate traffic problems at the start. Organizers highly recommend that participants take MARTA to the Georgia State station to get to the start on time.

The 13.1 mile course takes runners past Centennial Olympic Park, Atlantic Station, Piedmont Park and Atlanta's historic Oakland Cemetery and Georgia's gold-domed Capitol. Each of these landmarks are prime viewing areas for spectators wanting to cheer on the holiday runners as are the start and finish lines at Turner Field.

A number of streets will be partially or completely closed for the race beginning at 6:45. Atlanta Police will be on hand to maintain clear passage for runners.

Biggest Loser Starts, Runs in Turkey Day 5K

On Tuesday, orgainzers announced that Rebecca Meyer, the season 8 at-home $100,000 winner of NBC’s “The Biggest Loser” will be the official starter of the sold-out Thanksgiving Day 5K being held in conjunction with the Atlanta Half Marathon.

Meyer will also participate in the event as part of her quest to run at least one event in all 50 states by her 30^th birthday on March 15, 2014.  The
Thanksgiving Day 5K will be the eighth stop on her running tour that began in early September.

“I’m really excited to be finishing up my 2011 50 in 50 by 30 Challenge in
Atlanta at the Thanksgiving Day 5K race,” said Meyer. “It’s an appropriate
conclusion to what has been an interesting several months traveling around the country fulfilling my personal long-term goal of finishing a race in all 50
states by the time I’m 30 years old.”

This year marks the second running of the Thanksgiving Day 5K that was added to the Atlanta Half Marathon events in 2010 to provide runners and walkers of all abilities the opportunity to be a part of the holiday event. 

Along with the Atlanta Half Marathon and the Thanksgiving Day 5K, the
event also features the Mashed Potato Mile for children ages 7-12 and the Gravy Gallop, a 50 meter dash for kids ages 6 and under.  Close to 13,000 participants are expected to take part in the Atlanta Half Marathon events on Thanksgiving morning. 

Additional information regarding the Atlanta Half Marathon and Thanksgiving Day 5K can be found at atlantahalfmarathon.org.