October 27, 7:30 a.m. will mark the 10th annual AthHalf Half Marathon, and as of today, there are 199 days left to register to be a part of the race.
The marathon winds through downtown and historic Athens neighborhoods, then across the University of Georgia Campus before the final sprint through Sanford Stadium. Along the way, live music will play for both participants and spectators.
Runners who can't make it in person but don't want to break their streak will be able to participate as a Virtual Runner. Those runners still run a consecutive 13.1 miles and submit their times to be listed at AthHalf 2019 participants, with the T-shirt and finisher's medal that go along with finishing.
AthFest Educates Executive Director Jill Helme announced that 25,000 people had participated in the marathon since its creation, including 90 "legacy runners" who have run every single year.
She said in a press release, "We know the incredible Athens community will be back to cheer on the runners and we'll of course have the bands there to celebrate as well. Ten years is a huge accomplishment and we're so thankful for our runners and our Athens community!"
The race weekend also hosts the third annual 5K on October 26 at 2:30 p.m. and a Health and Fitness Expo from noon to 6 p.m. Attendees can visit a variety of exhibits on health and fitness, and peruse running and fitness merchandise.
Early registration is now open for the lowest price until May 31 at AthHalf.com. On June 1, the price of registration for the AthHalf will increase.
The AthHalf is non-profit AthFest Educates’ largest fundraising event, raising tens of thousands of dollars to advance music and arts education for local youth through support of school and community-based programs and events.