Rock the Comet Marathon and Half Marathon
Rockmart, GA
- Marathon, Half Marathon
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
The Rock the Comet Marathon and Half Marathon course runs entirely on the picturesque Silver Comet Trail, a converted rail line that stretches over 60 miles from Smyrna, Georgia to the Georgia/Alabama state line. The course will start in charming Rockmart, Georgia and run along the Rockmart River Walk, next … MORE
Local Historical Weather (Feb 25):
| 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | |
| H (°F) | 68 | 50 | 37 | 58 | 52 |
| L (°F) | 43 | 40 | 29 | 38 | 41 |
Find Nearby Lodging (hotel, rental, etc.):
Nice race
Most of the race is on the cement Silver Comet Trail. The course has a few hills near the cemetery. Nice medals and shirt. Snacks after race were also good. … MORE
Most of the race is on the cement Silver Comet Trail. The course has a few hills near the cemetery. Nice medals and shirt. Snacks after race were also good. Photos were posted fairly quickly.
Should have lowered expectations...
The good: Once the race started, it went pretty smooth. Volunteers were excellent. Swag was decent for an inaugural event. Met some people I had been wanting to talk to. … MORE
The good:
Once the race started, it went pretty smooth.
Volunteers were excellent.
Swag was decent for an inaugural event.
Met some people I had been wanting to talk to.
The bad:
Logistics surrounding this race were garbage.
Hotels in town were trash-smoking and non smoking rooms were the worst ever…bad enough that I took a refund on the first hotel, and if there had been a campground anywhere close would have gladly taken that option, there wasn’t, so me and the four boys locked ourselves in our room at a different hotel and hoped the thugs roaming around outside didn’t break into the car while we laid in bed and didn’t sleep.
There was a race morning option for packet pick up, but the RD strongly advised participants to pick up on Friday in Atlanta…dumb!!! Who drives into Atlanta on Friday afternoon? But I tried, and 23 miles outside of town was moving at 1 mph…literally…dumb. Needless to say, I was still sitting in traffic when the packet pickup time ended…dumb.
Note to any RD that may read this-if I sign up for a small marathon away from a city, I probably don’t want to drive into a city for packet pick up.
The course was originally intended to be an out and back, twice, but just before the start it was announced that marathoners wouldn’t come all the way back to the start line…unfortunately, my son was back at the car by then and had already made plans to meet me with Sustained Energy when I came back by the start line-long story short-I got to run this race without my standard race fuel or electrolytes…bummer.
I’m a project manager by trade, and occasionally a butthole, but I know how to get things done efficiently and effectively, and regularly fool myself into thinking other people are the same…most are not, and overlook the small things that really make an event shine. This event was the same, a few tweaks and it could be really good, but as it is, is not that good.
At the end of the day, Georgia was crossed off of the 50 state list, and chip times were finally posted three days later.
I was really glad to leave this event. I saw a Facebook posting that there were participants from 23 states…if some things don’t change, I anticipate this to be a local event at best in the future.