Chattahoochee Tech Wins Bid To Host 2013 NJCAA Half-Marathon Championships

(Media Release) The NJCAA announced this week at its annual legislative meetings in Colorado Springs, Col., that Chattahoochee Tech will host the 2013 NJCAA Half-Marathon National Championship race at the Silver Comet Trail. CTC hosted the event for the first time last November at a stretch of the Silver Comet near the college's Paulding County campus, and welcomed over 200 runners from around the country. The event was CTC's first hosted NJCAA national championship.

 

Chatt Tech earned high marks on its hosting bid last November 19, as attendees praised the stretch of course located in Dallas, Ga. The Silver Comet Trail, which spans over 61 miles from Smyrna in Cobb County westward to the Georgia-Alabama line, is a local favorite of hikers, runners and cyclists and is one of the better-known trails in the Southeast region.

 

"Winning the 2013 half-marathon bid sends the message that Chattahoochee Tech is doing something right," said CTC athletic director David Archer. "Everyone that came to the event this past November was pleased to point that the NJCAA membership approved us again, and I think that's a great sign. All the attending teams really liked the course.

 

"Being so close to our Paulding County campus, it creates a natural tie-in. It's good that it's so close to buildings with our name on them."

 

The half-marathon national championship race is unique in that it is the only such competition during the NJCAA athletic season. Taking place a week after the cross country championships, the half-marathon attracts many advanced long-distance runners from across the junior college landscape.

 

At last year's half-marathon, Iowa Central won the men's team championship and shared the women's title with South Plains (Levelland, Tex.), which will host the 2012 edition of the event. A number of CTC's men's and women's cross country team members also competed in the event.

 

Chattahoochee Tech has competed in NJCAA cross country since 2004 and track and field since 2006, all under current head coach Steve Prettyman.