Peachtree Road Race innovates for 55th running on July 4

Caption

Runners at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race.

Credit: Photo courtesy of the Atlanta Track Club

On July 4th, 1970, 140 runners set off from the corner of Peachtree and Roswell Roads in the first Peachtree Road Race. Only 110 of the runners finished. 

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race returns this July 4th for the 55th iteration of the race. And just like the runners 55 years ago, the race itself has evolved. It’s now the biggest 10k in the world, and it got even bigger this year as it recorded the most registrations since 2019. The race is on pace now to exceed 50,000 registrants by the registration date. 

“We expect this year to be the party of the summer,” Atlanta Track Club CEO Rich Kenah said.

The organizers of the race are rewarding participants with new events, stations, and fun activities throughout the race, including more music along the route and a carnival at the end. There’s also the AJC Oasis at the starting line at Lenox Square.

“We recognize that people need to get there really early,” Kenah said. “And we want to give them a place to hang out, relax, watch the broadcast, get a cup of coffee, charge their phones etc. So for those who are registered, make sure you check out the AJC Oasis at the start line and that’s going to be in the parking lot of Lenox Mall.”

One fun reward at the finish line is for those who wear Adidas shoes. The Track Club’s relatively new partnership with Adidas includes a pair of red, white and blue Supernovas that runners will collect with the rest of their gear at the Expo. Anyone wearing Adidas shoes – red, white and blue Supernovas or other – will receive a cooling towel at the finish line along with other surprises. 

The race’s partnership with Microsoft has also grown this year. The software corporation is covering all entry fees for the Peachtree Jr. Road Race, held the day before the real race. The event features a dash for children 6 and under, several mile races for kids 6 to 14 and a mini heptathlon at the end.

“As the track club looks toward the future of Atlanta and our mission of getting everybody healthy and active through running and walking, we recognize the next generation — our kids,” Kenah said. “We wanted to remove all the barriers to entry for kids regardless of geography, socioeconomic background, relative fitness, etc. And Microsoft has helped us do that. So in addition to providing STEM activities at the finish line for kids, they are also going to cover the cost of all entries for kids.” 

Further innovations include making mile splits available to runners and family and friends being able to track their runner’s location in the race. 

But in addition to looking towards the future, the race also looks back at its history and maintaining its traditions. Runners from the original race — those 110 finishers — are invited to run the race again as they are every five years and there will, of course, be t-shirts. 

“When you’re 55 years old, you continually look to reinvent yourself, if you will, change with the times while guarding the traditions that make you special,” Kenah said. “So the things that will remain the same as always are the coveted finisher shirt that you get when you cross the finish line and not before and the fact that that is a well kept secret in terms of the design and the color … Every five years we invite [the original runners] back and celebrate them as the founders, as the pioneers of the Peachtree and this year we will do that on July 2 up in Buckhead and we not only welcome back those who participated and finished but also the family members as well.” 

Registration for the Peachtree Road Race closes on June 15, 2024. The race will be on July 4th.

This story comes to GPB through an editorial partnership with Rough Draft Atlanta.