Runners, lace up: Sunday is the 2012 Atlantic City Marathon

If you’re in Atlantic City on Sunday morning, you’ll want to do one of two things: sleep in, or put on your running shoes. Why sleep in? Because of a lot of road closures. Why put on your running shoes? For the same reasons the roads will be closed: The 54th running of the Atlantic City Marathon. 

This race, which is the third oldest active marathon in the country, almost disappeared in 2009 when the organizers decided it wasn’t worth the effort anymore. Margate’s Milton & Betty Katz JCC stepped in and took over the race, and has been working to grow it each year. There’s more than just the marathon, too. A half marathon will also start on Sunday morning, and there’s a 5k and 10k on Saturday, too.

I had signed up to run this race, but after a somewhat disastrous outing at the Chicago Marathon, I’ve decided to sit this one out. However, I will be at the race, and tweeting updates from the sidelines. Follow me @jerseyshorejen for real time reports. 

Online registration is closed, but as of this morning, the organizers say they still have spots open for 108 runners in the marathon, 121 in the half marathon, 151 in the 5k and 183 in the 10k. They’re stressing that if you want to buy one, to go to the marathon expo TODAY instead of tomorrow – that expo is being held at Bally’s.