The 2008 ING Georgia Marathon & Half-Marathon race course will feature nearly two dozen “Hydration Stations” from start to finish next spring. All Hydration Stations will be thoroughly stocked with water and with Gatorade, the official sports drink. Several of the Hydration Stations will serve runners for both the 26.2-mile marathon and the 13.1-mile half marathon for the March 30 event, where the two routes are shared.

“One of the main areas of feedback we received from our first race was the need for more fluids along the course,” said Victoria Seahorn, race director of the ING Georgia Marathon & Half Marathon. “We listened and we acted. With the help of corporate sponsors, we created more places along the course for runners, walkers and wheelers to replenish their fluids and get to the finish line.”

Hydration Stations will be spaced between Mile 2 and the Finish Line of the entire 26.2-mile marathon course. Each Hydration Station will have 40-50 volunteers, provided by a community or corporate organization. The best overall Hydration Station, as selected by Georgia Marathon LLC and post-event voting from racers, will receive $2,500 for a charity of its choice. Some of the organizations which have already committed to supporting the new Hydration Station program are: Agnes Scott College, Camp Twin Lakes, City of Decatur-Oakhurst Community, Cystic Fibrosis – 65 Roses, Dekalb Police Department, Delta Air Lines, Emory Healthcare, Georgia State University, Georgia Tech, KPMG, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training, Lupus Foundation of America, Mizuno USA, Price WaterhouseCoopers, St. Jude, and Southern Company.

“Adequate water intake, at least six glasses per day, is essential not only to avoid dehydration and heat illness, but also for muscle flexibility. Your muscles contain a large percentage of water, and low water volume can lead to muscle tightness and inflexibility, which in turn could lead to injury,” said Dr. Perry H. Julien, D.P.M., past president of the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine. “Make sure however that you don’t over-hydrate and deplete your electrolytes. Balancing your water intake with electrolyte replacement drinks such as Gatorade can help prevent this.” Dr. Julien, who practices podiatry at The Atlanta Foot and Center in Sandy Springs, has run 20 marathons and is the co-medical director of the ING Atlanta Marathon and Half-Marathon.

The Hydration Stations are not the only improvements for racers in 2008. The second-year event will feature a new start and finish at Centennial Olympic Park. It will also provide a staggered start, where race officials will segment racers based on expected pace times/finish times (instead of a mass start which was used for the inaugural event). In addition, the race has created a ‘virtual support’ community through realbuzz.com, so participants can share training tips, create a blog or share stories.

“Our focus, our commitment is to build the best springtime marathon in the country. We believe these changes will create a race experience unlike any other,” shared Seahorn.

Registrations Open, Discount Rate Available Until Dec. 31
Race officials have set the limit again at 15,000 racers. The event is expected to sell-out for a second year. Through Dec. 31 of this year, registration for the half marathon is $60; the registration for the marathon is $80; $60 for the wheelchair half marathon. Registration prices will increase by $15 on Jan. 1, 2008. Registration for the 2008 event is now open at the official Web site, www.inggeorgiamarathon.com.

About the ING Georgia Marathon & Half Marathon
The 2008 ING Georgia Marathon & Half Marathon, to be held on Sunday, March 30, is Georgia’s picturesque, springtime, neighborhood–based distance combo event. Beginning at Centennial Olympic Park, it will travel through 26.2 miles (and 13.1 miles for the half marathon) of Metro Atlanta area’s most interesting and historic areas including the Sweet Auburn District, Inman Park, Midtown, Downtown and the city of Decatur. Along the way it will pass landmarks including the King Center, and Carter Center, before returning to Centennial Olympic Park for the finish. A limit of 15,000 registrations will be accepted for the ING Georgia Marathon & Half Marathon. The event is owned and operated by Georgia Marathon LLC.

The ING Georgia Marathon & Half Marathon includes a full weekend of activities for athletes, families and spectators – Health & Wellness Expo, Publix Tot Trot, Neighborhood Challenge, and the ING Run for Something Better. A full list of weekend activities, volunteer opportunities and registration information are available at www.inggeorgiamarathon.com,

About ING
ING is a global financial institution of Dutch origin offering banking, insurance and asset management to more than 75 million private, corporate and institutional clients in more than 50 countries. With a diverse workforce of over 120,000 people, ING comprises a broad spectrum of prominent companies that increasingly serve their clients under the ING brand. In the U.S., the ING family of companies offers a comprehensive array of financial services to retail and institutional clients which include life insurance, retirement plans, mutual funds, managed accounts, alternative investments, direct banking, institutional investment management, annuities, employee benefits, financial planning, and reinsurance. ING holds top-tier rankings in key U.S. markets and serves over 14 million customers across the nation. For more information, visit www.ing.com.

About Georgia Marathon LLC
Based in Decatur, Ga., Georgia Marathon LLC was formed in 2005 to bring a springtime, neighborhood-focused, long-distance running event to metro Atlanta. The president of Georgia Marathon LLC, Victoria Seahorn, also serves as the race director for the ING Georgia Marathon & Half Marathon. She is a veteran of 29 marathons and numerous half-marathons. In addition to her personal experience completing races, Seahorn has created training programs to guide more than 10,000 people to achieve their goal of completing a marathon. Georgia Marathon LLC is responsible for all branding, logistics, and sales and marketing for the ING Georgia Marathon & Half Marathon.