Silver Comet Races

Long stretches of paved trails that snake through the lush, green, wooded forest areas of the northwest Atlanta suburbs are the hallmark of the Silver Comet Marathon & Half Marathon, for an event that usually sees more than 1,500 runners each year.The Silver Comet 10k, Marathon, and Half Marathon are presented by Silver Comet Races, which is owned and founded by Dana Greene. The race proceeds benefit numerous community programs and school running programs.The Silver Comet 10k, Marathon, and Half Marathon are the only races of their kind on the Silver Comet Trail in Cobb County, a beautiful scenic trail that stretches from just inside the perimeter all the way west to Alabama! The Silver Comet Trail is loved by families and athletes alike for running, cycling, sight-seeing, and general recreation.

The half marathon route (like the full marathon) follows the Silver Comet Trail, the now-paved multi-use trail for bikers, joggers and walkers that winds nearly 40 miles from Smyrna to the Georgia-Alabama state line, part of one of Atlanta’s most successful rails-to-trails initiatives.Named for the Silver Comet train that ferried passengers back and forth from Atlanta to Anniston, Ala., in the 1940s and 50s, the trail had been abandoned until the late 1980s, when a group of local residents formed a nonprofit to raise funds toward converting it for recreational use. Ever since, the trail has become one of the metro Atlanta area’s most popular weekend hikes and biking trails.The 13.1-mile course for the race starts at the Mable House Cultural Arts Center and runs for about 1.5 miles before entering the trail at the Silver Comet Bike Depot. From there, it runs out 5.75 miles and back to the depot for the finish. The trail is long and straight and largely flat, but it also has some long, gradual uphill stretches that many runners will find challenging, especially as they occur in the race’s last few miles.

Full Marathon is under a strict 5:30 time limit because of the need to close the course at a specific time. We strongly advise runners to make sure they can finish within the 5:30 time limit.