Share your Photos from the Publix Georgia Marathon & Half Marathon

Did you run, cheer or volunteer today? Check out our gallery and upload your photos and video clips for your friends and neighbors to see. And share your stories of inspiration.

The most inspirational thing I saw Sunday morning was a woman pushing a disabled man in a wheelchair as she ran the streets of Atlanta, up and down hills during the Publix Georgia Marathon and Half Marathon. At times, she had to slow to a walk to get up one of the steeper inclines, but she smiled through it. If you've never run or walked up Juniper Street, it's hard to describe how amazing it is that somebody would do this for 13.1 miles. I have run several marathons and half-marathons and scenes like that are a reminder of how many good people are out there, trying to help others. The lady pushing the wheelchair was among thousands of runners who streamed through the streets of Atlanta and Decatur on Sunday. If you were among the …

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Decatur Residents: Plan Ahead for Georgia Marathon Street Closings on Sunday

Thousands of runners, volunteers and spectators will take over the streets of Decatur for the Publix Georgia Marathon and Half Marathon.

Residents, take note. You may need to plan ahead to move your car or reschedule some Sunday morning activities due to the flow of runners passing through Decatur for the Publix Georgia Marathon. Some of the roads affected include East Lake Road, East College Avenue, East Ponce de Leon Avenue, Clairemont and North Decatur Road. Street closings in the area could start at early as 7 a.m. and some streets are not schedule to be completely reopened before 1:15 p.m. Runners passing through Decatur will be taking part in the full marathon. You can expect a cheering section near the Old Courthouse and a water stop on Clairemont. See the PDF attached to this article for a detailed schedule of partial and complete street closings and re-openings, …

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Tour deCatur Kick Off Party Jan. 30

The party to launch the City of Decatur's walking/running fitness program will be held at Fleet Feet on West Ponce.

The City of Decatur is about to launch another year of Tour deCatur, its fitness program. The kick-off party will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 30, at Fleet Feet, the official sponsor of the 2013 Tour DeCatur. In case you're new to town, Tour deCatur members walk and run together during the year to develop team spirit. They participate in a series of run/walk events, all wearing neon green T-shirts. At the party, you can: For more information email gail@decatureducationfoundation.org. Here are some previous stories about Tour deCatur. Michael Harbin keeps Decatur on the run/walk. Decatur keeps fitness trophy. Team deCatur kicks off with a run. Team deCatur wins big in downtown 5K.

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Michael Harbin Keeps Decatur on the Run/Walk

He's a fitness enthusiast who helped start Team Decatur.

If you see Michael Harbin around town, he'll probably be wearing his neon green Team Decatur T-shirt. He's an enthusiastic recruiter for the group that participates in the Kaiser Permanente Corportate Run/Walk 5k and Fitness Program. Decatur has fielded the only city-sponsored team in the downtown Atlanta event that draws thousands of corporate workers. Team Decatur has grown from 130 people in 2010 to 256 last year. Members walk and run together during the year and develop team spirit. They all wear the bright green T-shirts, too. Harbin hopes to hit 300 participants this year. "Part of this is to make fitness fun and social," he said. "Some people can't see getting out by themselves and walking." Harbin, 63, played a major role in …

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How is Decatur Represented in the 2012 Peachtree Road Race?

A new map released by the AJC shows the top participating zips in Metro Atlanta, including Decatur.

There's a little more than a week before the July 4 Peachtree Road Race, the biggest 10K in the world. This begs the question: Just how many Decatur residents will be participating among the estimated 60,000 runners in this year's big race? The Atlanta Journal Constitution, sponsor of the Peachtree Road Race, recently released a map showing the top participating zip codes in the metro-Atlana area.  According to the map, the main Decatur zip code, 30030, accounts for 1.13 percent of this year's participants. So which zipcode has the most participants? That award belongs to 30319 with 2.15 percent. This zip is mostly unincorporated DeKalb county, but a small part of 30319 is in Fulton. Sorry, Avondale Estates, the 30002 zip code was not …

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Volunteer Runners Needed

Mizuno is testing new products this week.

  Fleet Feet in Decatur has sent out a request for volunteer runners. Mizuno needs runners to help test new shoe designs Tuesday-Thursday (June 26-28) at the North Druid Hills High track at 1798 Haygood Drive NE. But only runners who wear these sizes should apply: Men 8.0, 9.0, 10.0, 11.0 and 12.0 and women 7.5 and 8.5. Minuzo says, The testing will involve  running in and evaluating a number of different shoes as well as high speed camera filming. The reason for the testing - make the best fitting, feeling and performing running shoes in the world.  If you have ever wondered how running shoe companies decide to improve their shoes, come on out to Druid Hills High School and see how Mizuno does it. The testing will take approximately 60 …

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Healthy Patch Living

Play It Safe Before You Lace Up

Decatur sports chiropractor gives tips on how to avoid injury by preparing properly for running.

As the cooler temperatures kick in, people are able to spend more time outside walking and running. Perhaps you are even getting your running shoes out now and getting ready for one of the many races coming up. Whether you are a competitive runner or you just like to do fun runs, it’s important to make sure you’re taking care of yourself and avoiding injury. Decatur sports chiropractor Dr. Alan Bragman agrees that running is a great way to stay fit. However, he also knows the repetitive nature of the sport is associated with injuries such as, sprains, strains, tendonitis, fascitis, fractures and other problems with lower extremities. “Most running injuries and problems are related to improper preparation and over training,” says Bragman. “…

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Wheels and Heels

Wheels and Heels: Running in the Heat with Lee Fidler

Local fitness expert shares his tips for running when the mercury rises.

When you train for marathons in Atlanta, you know a thing or two  about running in the heat. Lee Fidler, a two-time Olympic Trials qualifier, has run 43 marathons, won the Atlanta Marathon and Half Marathon, finished 11th at the 1975 Boston Marathon and finished second and third at the Peachtree. When a local sports drink manufacturer was looking to test a sports drink, Fidler was one of the guys they hired as guinea pigs. His resting heart rate is in the low 40’s or 30’s. Oh, and the Competitor Network ranked him third among the Top-5 Bearded Runners of All Time. Fidler is now a personal trainer at Decatur's Core Body Fitness, where he works with the casually fit to those looking to shave time off their run. He has been a running coach or…

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Lace Up Your Running Shoes This Year

Join in a road race, it's good for your health

If you missed out on the sixth annual Run with the Dogs - Frostbite 5K this past Saturday, don't worry there are still many more chances to get your run on. Whether you're an experienced marathoner or you like to dabble in "fun runs," there are plenty of road races to choose from this year. And many of those are right here in Decatur. Running is a great way to get in shape and stay in shape. According to one study, a group of researchers measured the calorie burn of 12 men and 12 women while running and while walking a mile on a treadmill. The men burned an average of 124 calories when running, and only 88 when walking; the women burned 105 and 74. (The men only burned more than the women because they weighed more.) When you run a race, …

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