Melissa Gillette
ATLANTA – (October 30, 2011) – Nearly 1,200 marathon participants and 300 relay teams toed the line at the Atlanta Marathon and Marathon Relay on Sunday morning. The event started and finished at Atlantic Station near Midtown Atlanta. 2011 marked the 48th running of the Atlanta Marathon, which was previously held in conjunction with the Atlanta Half Marathon on Thanksgiving Day, as well as the inaugural running of the Atlanta Marathon Relay.
“From the sell-out of the inaugural Atlanta Marathon Relay, to the near perfect weather conditions and fantastic course support from our volunteers and the 18 Atlanta-based nonprofit organizations that were part of the Atlanta Track Club’s Adopt a Marathon Mile program, we couldn’t have asked for a better event,” said Tracey Russell, Executive Director of the Atlanta Track Club.
In a first for the Atlanta Marathon, the husband and wife duo of Justin Gillette and Melissa Gillette, both 28 of Goshen, Ind. took home the titles in 2 hours, 33 minutes, 45 seconds and 3:01:40 respectively. Justin took the lead early in the race around mile three and was able to maintain his lead throughout, crossing the finish nearly seven and a half minutes ahead of runner-up Charles Slick of Atlanta. Melissa drew her motivation to tackle the hilly, Atlanta course from the crowd support along the way which contributed to her nearly six minute lead over second place finisher Patricia Coppel of Atlanta.
The Atlanta Track Club Men’s Open Team made up of Cory Baumann, Mike Gerber, Andrew Mearns and Piotr Witczak took top honors in the men’s relay division with a time of 2:23:28 at the Atlanta Marathon Relay, while team “birthday CAKE” made up of Anna Collins, Kay Crawford, Clara Easterlin and Elyse Ensor claimed first in the women’s relay division with a time of 3:23:59.
Throughout the Atlanta Marathon and Marathon Relay participants were treated to aid station and cheer zone support from 18 metro Atlanta based nonprofits that were selected to be part of the Atlanta Track Club’s Adopt a Marathon Mile program.
The various organizations each adopted a mile of the course and provided a minimum of 30 volunteers to support an aid station and cheer zone within their mile. Organizations that met the minimum requirements during the event will receive a $3500 – $7500 donation from the Atlanta Track Club based on each organization’s level of support.
48th Atlanta Marathon
Atlanta, GA, Sunday, October 30, 2011
MEN
1) Justin Gillette (IN), 2:33:45, $1300*
2) Charles Slick (GA), 2:41:16, $700
3) John Piggott, 46, VA, 2:44:21, $1000
4) Andrew Clarke (GA), 2:44:53, $400
5) Ryan Purcell (GA), 2:46:42, $300
6) Juan Soto (GA), 2:49:01, $250
7) Roy Smoot (GA), 2:50:00, $200
8) Christopher Kimbel (GA), 2:56:37, $150
*includes first Out-of-State male prize money ($300)
MASTERS MEN (40-plus)
1) Piggott, see above
2) Donald Mack, 44, PA, 3:12:47, $400
3) Mike Wien, 60, GA, 3:13:55, $550*
*includes first Grandmaster male (50-plus) prize money ($250)
WOMEN
1) Melissa Gillette (IN), 3:01:40, $1300*
2) Patricia Coppel (GA), 3:07:36, $700
3) Mary Chind (GA), 3:07:55, $500
4) Izabela Amos (GA), 3:12:00, $400
5) Laurie Knowles (GA), 3:12:02, $300
6) Gina Rouse (TN), 3:15:20, $250
7) Leah Thomas (GA), 3:15:20, $200
8) Kathryn Kramer (GA), 3:20:31, $150
*includes first Out-of-State female prize money ($300)
MASTERS WOMEN (40-plus)
1) Mary Delp, 41, GA, 3:24:30, $500
2) Lisa Dillman, 44, GA, 3:27:30, $400
3) Sheryl Ehft, 57, PA, 3:32:32, $550*
*includes first Grandmaster female (50-plus) prize money ($250)
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