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The 51st running of the Atlantic City Marathon scheduled for Oct. 18 has been postponed indefinitely.

Former longtime race director Barbara Altman said that since she stepped down after last year's race, the Boardwalk Runners Club has been unable to find a successor.

"We were looking for a race director since last October," said Altman, 67, who coordinated the race for the club for the past 20 years. "Last summer, we had someone lined up to take my place, and it was looking very promising."

However, those plans fell through in the past two months, Altman said, and ultimately there was not enough time to get the work done to hold the race Oct. 18.

There is no target date for the marathon to be rescheduled. Altman all but ruled out holding the race before the end of the year, saying it will take a miracle.

The marathon, known as "America's First Festival of Running," also was accompanied by 5K, 10K and half-marathon races. The race is the third oldest continually run marathon in the country.

Altman said the group that she hoped would succeed her was an out-of-area organization that runs large marathons across the country. Altman would not name the group.

"They were going to take the marathon to new levels, but it didn't work out," she said. "We've been working on getting someone who could handle what we wanted. We interviewed many people, but nothing panned out."

Nancy Pino, of Linwood, was the top female finisher in the 2007 marathon and was shocked to learn of the race's postponement.

"I'm very surprised," Pino said. "They've worked with changing the course a lot, and it seemed like the numbers were increasing. Barbara has worked so hard, but it's hard to get someone to tie it all in. It's a shame."

Atlantic City officials also were unaware that the marathon had been postponed, according to Kevin Hall, a spokesman for Mayor Lorenzo Langford.

Altman said a small number of runners had already sent in registration forms and money. She said she was surprised when she started receiving entry forms and checks in the mail because she had not yet posted this year's entry form on the marathon's Web site.

None of the checks has been cashed, and she said they will all be returned to the runners this week.

Altman is still in talks with the original group about taking over her spot as race coordinator and is confident that she will have a successor in due time. She also said she would remain active in race planning given the right situation.

No matter what role she plays in the race, Altman said she is going to do everything in her power to make sure the marathon continues to survive.

"There will be a 51st Atlantic City Marathon," she said. "It's just been a wonderful experience all the way through, and I know that it will be again."

Staff writer Emily Previti contributed to this report.

E-mail Patrick Carragher:

PCarragher@pressofac.com

15 comments:

• Ghosdogg (253) posts 10:52 pm

  Hey Justathought! Correction, your statement was a BRAIN-FART not a thought(the action or process of thinking). Can smell yourself???

• freespeech (66) posts 4:54 pm

  Barbara Altman, thank you for your service during the many years. The native Atlantic City residents, especially the runners have let the marathon tradition go the route of the other events. These same folks are the teachers, firefighters, police officers,lifeguards etc. who enjoyed the fruits of being provided by the taxpayer, but forgot to give back to their city. Shame on you! Shame for the city!

• Justathought (34) posts 3:49 pm

  Spain has the running of the bulls. Why don't we have the running of the negroes? White people must run for their lives down the boardwalk while escaping negroes with knifes and guns? That would add some flavor to the city.

• Eileenhg (1) posts 3:18 pm

  THIS CITY NEEDS TO GET NEW BLOOD. We need to pull out of this mess and make this city a place where people feel safe to come and bring there kids. That race was great for the area. A corporation like Atlantic Care can and should do SO. They have the most money in the area besides the gambling pits.What better way to promote good health and keep away cancer but with a run. Especially after opening there Fox Chase cancer Center.

• American_Gaming_Guru (242) posts 11:24 am

  What a shame! "Altman said the group that she hoped would succeed her was an out-of-area organization"...another example of the citizens of this city not giving a dam!

• southjersey (240) posts 11:18 am

  No one cares about the PR parade. My suggestionis why do we need these stupid parades? Puerto Rican parade Hindu, and allthe others Too mcuh money spent on what? so what you came from PR or India if celebrate in your home in america not at the expense of taxpayers. of who some are not hindu, puerto rican etc!

• VoiceOfReason (2) posts 9:00 am

  Why is it that the same boo-bird crowd seldom has anythihg positive to say about this city? Seems to this reader that some of their lives are consumed with hate and jealousy. Perhaps if they strolled away from their keyboards for awhile each day and CONTRIBUTED in a positive way towards resolving some of the issues they all seem to have answers for by writing comical critiques ... they might help to resolve some of these problems. Get involved in a serious and positive way ladies and gentlemen. My daddy used to say that any jackass can knock down a building, but it quite a different matter to build one.

• 2ndmardiv (22) posts 8:22 am

  This was almost predictable. There are no more Barbara Altmans out there. She was unique in her post as race director. The job she did takes more time and effort than anybody wants to take on. It's not a title to hang your hat on and let others do the work like so many posers do. Just an undeniable fact of life. Maybe the Greater AC Chamber and the ACCVA can pitch in to keep the run alive?

• Republican4Mayor (212) posts 8:14 am

  Atlantic City officials also were unaware that the marathon had been postponed, according to Kevin Hall, a spokesman for Mayor Lorenzo Langford. Ofcourse, they were unaware, just another Atlantic City tradition going by the waste side under the current Mayor. Goodbye Miss America, so long Puerto Rican Day Parade, see you later Surf, adios Bader Field, bye bye Gildas House and now the marathon. This should end when all that is left in town is the Mayor, then he can win all of his elections (that is if he is smart enough to vote for himself).

• RandomX856 (158) posts 3:22 pm

  The same thing you always do, todiat... sit on Press of AC and post messages all day and night. Glad to see you changed accounts. 62 comments in 2 days... you're slacking.

• todfiat- (93) posts 2:13 pm

  What is tod(I am a gay American)fiat going to do with his BF now that they are eliminating all these special events in Atlantic City? Keep toe-tapping todfat(well, I am)...time to come out of the closet!

• IzzyStone (307) posts 1:54 pm

  perhaps it's a safety issue: no K-9 dogs to protect the visitors, the town's a racial tinderbox.... and those high tolls to/from A.C. So much for "non-casino" activities in A.C. Where's Jeff Vassar?

• RandomX856 (158) posts 1:34 pm

  The competition from the slot parlors in Pennsylvania is just too much for the marathon this year.

• UPPERFIRST (180) posts 12:50 pm

  Well, we have BlackFest held every day in City Hall and LatinoFestheld in the Board of Education - that is certainly entertaining enough!

• BernieSchwartz (645) posts 12:18 pm

  Miss America, Seafood Fest, Baseball, etc... will AC have any public functions in the future or do we all just want to sit on our stoops feeding off the government/ Casino teet? Little things like this marathon mean alot to a City.

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