Lululemon Classic City Marathon Reviews

  Cold Day with a Warm Heart!

By Jared C. about 2025

Review

This was an amazing experience at only the 2nd year of this race. We had a very cold day, but there were plenty of inside spaces (and inside bathrooms) to use before the start of the race. The rolling course went all through the beautiful town of Athens, and hit a lot of rails-to-trails and greenways. I like running on greenways, but that may not be for everyone. The largest hill on the course comes between miles 22 to 24, which is a tough placement. There's also a pretty rolling finish back to downtown Athens. The finish area and swag (especially the long-sleeve tech T-shirt) were first rate. The after party at a brewery downtown was awesome. I had a great time in Athens!

Race Tips

Like I said, the course is rolling all the way. There are some flat areas on the course, but they are few and far between. The course has some long greenway sections too, but the race organizers put bands and cheer zones on some of the more lonely stretches. To me, I liked that. This is a January race, so it was cold. I prefer to run marathons in the cold, rather than the heat.

Logistical Tips (Hotels, Restaurants, Parking, Discounts, etc.)

I stayed at the Hotel Indigo, which gave a discount to runners. It was nice and very close to the start line. I ate at several fantastic restaurants. Some of those were The National, The World Famous, and lunch the day after the race at Dawgone Good BBQ - great. Athens has great food. I visited the local Fleet Feet as well, which was a good experience.

  Tough but Awesome

By Ben Inouye about 2024

Review

The race organization was impeccable - among the best I've ever run. The course is tough...hills are long and 2024 was windy at the worst points...but...the temperature was perfect (40ish at the start and 45ish at the finish). The later start was really nice too. The course was well marked and the paved trail that makes up a big chunk was a great running surface.

  Great small marathon

By AMP about 2024

Review

The overall experience was fantastic, especially for the inaugural running. They really did a great job showcasing everything that makes Athens, GA a great town.

The expo was held at a local brewery with live music. Even though it was pouring rain outside where the vendor tents were the atmosphere was still great.

Pre-race they had the Classic Center (convention center) open to stay warm and use real bathrooms. Gear check was there and very smooth. Lots of volunteers to point folks in the right direction.

At the starting line they probably could have used a few more port-a-potties for those who skipped gear check or needed a last minute potty. The lines were a little long for those but I think everyone ended up being able to start on time. Part of the UGA Redcoat Marching Band came out to play the National Anthem so that was a nice touch.

Finish line wasn't the most scenic since it was tucked back behind the convention center, but the crowd was lively. Back inside the convention center for the finish line festival had an OK selection of snacks. Lot's of tables and chairs for sit and wait on friends/family to finish and celebrate.

Race Tips

A fairly hilly course but only a couple very short, steep climbs. Most of the elevation gain comes from two long stretches. The first is part of the out-and-back section, but seeing all the runners come back towards you kept spirits high. The second stretch is more grueling as it's in the last 6 miles, but this is also where crowd support was the best.

There's only one sharp U-turn and it's at the top of the long climb. Unfortunately it's also right at the half way point where the relay hand-off is so there was a bit of congestion. Being such a small race (400 marathoners, 400 relay teams) it wasn't too bad but if the race grows it might become a problem.

Aid stations were plentiful and well supported. They used re-usable water cups that had a good weight to them and very flexible which made it easy to pour into your mouth on the go. Also had Powerade at every stop along with a few port-a-potties. I only remember seeing gels at one stop so be prepared to pack your own.

Definitely not a BQ friendly course if you're on the cusp but still very reasonable to have a good finishing time if you've trained for hills.

Logistical Tips (Hotels, Restaurants, Parking, Discounts, etc.)

The downtown start/finish is central to all the hotels. If you drive in, the street parking is free but many of the lots are reserved for churches on Sunday mornings so check ahead of time. There's also a lot at the Classic Center.

Downtown Athens has a ton of great food options for both before and after the race. Stay a few days and check out the music scene that birthed the B-52s and REM!