55,000 runners and walkers are set to continue an annual July 4th tradition in Atlanta. The 40th Peachtree Road Race is this weekend.

For many who participate, it’s a tradition they wouldn’t think of skipping. And for others, it may become a new personal tradition.

Race organizers say more than 30 percent of this year’s field will be first-timers.

With 55,000 participants, the Peachtree has been known as the largest 10-kilometer road race in the world since the late 1970’s.

But that honor is getting some competition from the annual Memorial Day race in Boulder, Co. -- now only a few
thousand shy of 55,000.

Peachtree race director Tracey Russell says it makes for a fun rivalry with the Colorado race:

RUSSELL: “Certainly something fun we like to embrace and Atlanta likes to embrace being the world’s largest 10-K. Can’t over-emphasize how important it is from a safety standpoint to make sure if we were to grow and add additional folks, is that we can handle the capacity…knowing that we do this on a warm morning on July 4th.”

Russell says along with casual runners and walkers, Sunday’s race will have one of its deepest invited runner fields ever.

Contributors: Rickey Bevington

Tags: Colorado, Peachtree Road Race, 10-k, runner, boulder, tracey russell