The Lure of Peachtree

I first learned about the Peachtree Road Race
in early 1998 as I was looking through a Runners World magazine. The largest 10k in the country. In Atlanta on July 4th, every year.
Well, I gotta do it, I thought.

As I read more about the race on the web site, I found the application process unlike anything i had ever know. The application comes out ONLY in the Atlanta newspaper in mid march. You must submit the application on that Sunday or Monday via mail only and then HOPE to get in. Yep, that is all correct. It fills up THAT fast.
My hopes were a bit dashed when i read all this information because how does a runner living in the Bay Area get a copy of the Atlanta newspaper and get the application mailed back in a time good enough to obtain a race entry?

Well, thanks to the large newspaper selection at Barnes and Noble, I found one copy of the issue I needed 3 days after the issue date in mid march 1998. Excitedly and carefully, I completed the application and sent it off the Atlanta to the PO BOX for “out of state” residents. I was hoping the race folks held a certain amount of spots for us out of towners.

A long wait was the next part. I didn’t expect to hear anything until late may, early june. The wait was exciting yet also frustrating. The longer I waited, the more i wanted to get in.

Then, one day in early June 1998, I went to my mailbox and saw the big 8x11 envelope with seeming lots of stuff inside. “YEAH”, I yelled on my quiet cul-de-sac street. “I GOT IN”!!

I was so excited to open the package and see the contents with my BIB #, hotel and airline info, expo info, etc...

Soon, i booked my flight and then on July 1st, I was off to Atlanta.

(a REAL except from my journal dated 7/1/98)

‘happy july! today’s my departure date. i’m pretty darn excited. i’ve already been for a run this a.m. A quick 2..5 miles, but i also did grace hill! boy, that is a killer, i’ll tell ya. it is pretty great to run on clear, sunny mornings, like today. it’s so quiet and fresh out. birds are chirping. it’s like a clean slate. nothing has been touched yet.

and
7/2/98

"well, i’m here in atlanta and i am pretty out of it. i’m time-exhausted and having major allergy attacks. I can barely function and yet, i’d hate to take medicine-but, i’ll probably have to."


Up until re-reading this today, I had completely forgotten i had allergy issues on that trip. it’s interesting because once i became a resident of Atlanta in 1999, I have never had allergy problems here and lots of folks do...

I stayed in the Grand Hyatt which was host hotel with expo and only .5 miles from starting line. The expo was my first ever and i was happily overwhelmed by all the people, booths/exhibits and free stuff. Coca-Cola had given out free 32 oz bottles of Powerade Green which remains a favorite of mine today. I was completely buzzed by the excitement in the place and thoughout the city. What a thrill.

Race day excerpt from jounral dated 7/4/98

"6:13am - today is the race. starting time is only 75 minutes away. today, i will run in my first ever peachtree road race. maybe i could make this a yearly ritual. it is part of this city-a rintual for many. it’s intoxicating. ....i just peekd outside and there are many people out-walking, running, wheel-chairing it along the streets. it was dark when i awoke at 5:30am, but the light is emerging now. ...given the fact i don’t know much about what pace i’ll go, i;ll set my goal at 55:00 or less. maybe i can figure it out as i go along. i doubt i can set a “normal goal” as these conditions aren’t normal. this is wondeful, ya know? I flew across the country to run with 54, 499 other runners on Independence Day. Go for it. Give everything. I’ll do my best!"

As I would soon learn, under 55 was not gonna happen. The race begins at 7:00am for the first folks, the elite. Everyone else starts afterwards, in increments. Given my rookie and out of towner status, i was at the back of the pack, one of the last groups to go..my start time was closer to 8am. And if you have ever tried to run in Atlanta in July, then you know the conditions. Plus...all the people. It was like a running rock concert. It was an adventure. I took it all in. Peachtree Road was lined with spectators the whole way. Loud crowds, music, bands, and water/mist sprayers. Soon enough, i made my way into Piedmont Park and across the finish line. Then, i made a bee-line for the t-shirt area. My first and highly coverted Peachtree Road Race t-shirt.

#1 Peachtree Finish Time = 57:38


more to follow...