More than 10,000 runners expected
Atlantic City and the Downbeach area was selected as the newest destination for a Rock n' Roll Marathon Race Series event planned for next spring.
The inaugural Rock n' Roll Atlantic City Half Marathon & 5K event will be held during twilight hours May 15-16, 2020, according to a release. It is the first new Rock n' Roll Marathon Race Series event in the U.S. since 2015, and will include music, entertainment and community immersion. Organizers say as many as 10,000 runners will participate.
Established in 1998, the Rock n' Roll Marathon Series is the largest running series in the world, with more than 30 destination events each year, including Beijing, Montreal, Mexico City, Cancun and cities throughout the U.S.
Race week kicks off Thursday, May 14, 2020 with a Health and Fitness Expo that is open to the public. The 5K event will be held Friday, May 15, and the half-marathon on Saturday, May 16.
The half-marathon will start at Bader Field and travel through Ventnor and Margate before returning to the Atlantic City Boardwalk for the final 6 miles. The music-themed event will feature on-course bands and DJs as the runners race their way to the finish line for an after-party.
We have been evaluating locations we feel are strong fits with our series and view Atlantic City as an exciting opportunity for both our runners and our brand, Ironman Group COO Shane Facteau said. We are proud that we can be a part of showcasing and highlighting what the city has to offer to thousands of runners and their support crew who travel to the area.
He called the Atlantic City Boardwalk the perfect venue for the race series event, which will focus on running, music and community.
Jim Wood, president and CEO of Meet AC and the Atlantic City Sports Commission, said the event fits in with the city's effort to diversify offerings and attract high-profile sporting events.
Participants will have the unique experience to run on our world-famous Boardwalk and throughout our beautiful seaside resort as a variety of music ignites the race course. We look forward to playing host to all the runners and their famil(ies) and friends as they help bring a positive economic impact to our community, Wood said.
Registration for the event opens Aug. 7.
To register or learn more, see RunRocknRoll.com
