Journal of a First-Time Peachtree Road Racer

In recent years, I had run several races, but none where I began under an enormous American flag, was sprinkled with holy water by a priest; doused by several spewing fire hydrants; slapped with a wrist bracelet coupon for a free appetizer; handed water melon slices, water, beer and smoothies; and cheered on by thousands of spectators along the route.

That changed Monday as I took part in my first Peachtree Road Race. What a race it was!

"The World's Largest 10K" was by far the most unique and fun race I've had the honor of taking part in, and was truly a community affair. Here's a glimpse into the Atlanta Independence Day race tradition through the eyes of a newbie:

Race preparation

In February, while training for the St. Patrick's Day Shamrock 8K race in Virginia Beach, I signed up for and ran in the Taste of Athens 10K race in Athens, GA.  This race served as a certified Peachtree qualifier. My race time qualified me for an 8:05 a.m. start time at the Peachtree in the H Corral.  

After those two races, life intervened with extensive travel and work commitments so running/training took a backseat even though the July 4 Peachtree race loomed large on my calendar.  

After Memorial Day, I decided to finally start training in earnest for the Peachtree.  I began by walking and then jogging in downtown Norcross to acclimate to the brutal Georgia humidity.  I hit the gym hard during the two weeks leading up to the big race- running 10Ks and other long distance runs and simulating hills on the elliptical and treadmill. A week before the Peachtree, a fellow runner and I walked the race route to get familiar with it.  

So, I'm all set, right? Right?

Race day

When my alarm went off at 5 a.m., I promptly jumped out of bed, eager to start the holiday run (in spite of the 4 hours of sleep).  I posted a status on Facebook that I was about to participate in my first Peachtree Race and a tweet on Twitter to the same effect.  

I had organized my outfit the night before so I put on my light blue tech running shirt, shorts, Adidas ball cap and Brooks tennis shoes.  I added a hastily made “Team Tew” sticker to my bib after deciding to dedicate my run to the memory of a longtime friend’s late son (more on that later). 

I looped the GPS tracking chip through my laces, grabbed my headphones, ate the free granola cereal and a Lara bar and headed out.

I arrived at the Doraville MARTA station around 6:15.  I was glad I had bought my Breeze card at the Expo 2 days earlier because the lines to get a card were ridiculously long. Buying in advance probably saved me a half hour’s time.

 I crammed into the MARTA car along with all the other runners and headed for Lenox on the gold line.  After arriving, I was handed a free “11Alive Wizometer” wristband, drank a few cups of water and made my way to my corral.  I sat down in the road shortly after 7 a.m. and waited for the race to start.  I chewed on some Chia seeds for energy, stood at the singing of the national anthem and cheered as the fighter jets flew overhead.

The race

Aside from running underneath the giant American flag, the start of the race was frustrating as it was so crowded that the pace was super slow and I was hit by a few other runners’ elbows. 

It didn’t take long, however, for the runners to spread out and for me to find room to run unabated.  The first three miles are mostly downhill so I deliberately tried to run at a slower pace to conserve energy for “Cardiac Hill.” 

I used the “Nike + GPS” app on my phone to track my pace, distance and time as I ran and started the run listening to Lady Gaga.  Along the way, I encountered speakers blaring music, bands, rappers and singers performing live, free gift giveaways, men on microphones talking to passersby (“Any first time runners? Where you at?” to which I waved my arms and pumped my fists) and the tremendous generosity of the throngs of spectators and businesses handing out free food and drinks. 

Getting holy water thrown on me while being blessed by the priest was also a racing first that I thoroughly enjoyed.  I managed to mostly run up “Cardiac Hill” and muster enough energy to mostly run the remaining route, walking only occasionally and for no longer than a minute increment.  Turning onto 10th street and seeing Piedmont Park was a welcome sight.  As I approached the end, I encountered a group of police officers running as a pack and chanting.  I ran alongside them toward the finish line.

Post-race

After the race, I grabbed my bag with the coveted Peachtree Road Race Finishers Shirt, got a bottle of water, a banana and a bagel and found a shaded hill to collapse in Piedmont Park.  I removed my sweat-drenched hat, snapped some pics, listened to the rock band performing in the park, called my parents and headed to the Michelob Ultra After Party at Park Tavern to wait for my running buddy who started an hour later than me. 

Later in the day, I stopped in a Chick-Fil-A in Sandy Springs when a lady spotted my “Peachtree” shirt and remarked, “Oh, Peachtree! Congrats!”  I had the same reaction today when wearing it around town. The shirt became a symbol of pride.  Random strangers respect the shirt.  I finished the race in 1:16:20 in 30426th place out of about 65,000 or so runners.

The cause

Nathan’s father, Cameron, was one of my first bosses and mentors and has been a longtime friend.  I have known Nathan and his triplet brothers Brandon and Jason their entire lives and have watched them grow from babies to young boys and now teenagers.  I had planned to run in my first half marathon this year to raise money and awareness for the Tew family and Nathan’s fight along with cancer research. 

The Tew family took part in a race shortly after Nathan’s death that I could not be a part of so I thought a small tribute to Nathan on what would have been his 17th birthday was appropriate.  I ran 6.2 miles on a hot, humid July day in Georgia but dedicating the race to Nathan was a constant reminder that we still have miles to go in the fight against cancer.