Peachtree Road Race. A Fourth of July tradition with 60,000 of your closest friends.
And sweatiest friends for sure.
Ran the Peachtree for the first time in about five years today. And it really was great fun.
Decided I’ve got to do this every year.
The first time I ran it was in 1988. I had just gotten in engaged two days before to John Miles.
We ran it together till Mile 5, when he thought he wouldn’t get a t-shirt (back then you had to finish in 55 minutes to get a t-shirt) and he left me.
For the record, he might have got his shirt first, but we both got the green shirt that year.
No idea where either of those shirts is . . .
Now I was sure it was going to pour.
But it never did.
Walking under that flag never gets old.
Bumped into my next door neighbor.
Who is speedy fast so he said, “hi.” Took a pic. And ran on.
We don’t look so bad for just getting up that darn Piedmont Hospital Hill.
Finally, made the turn and headed down to the mud pit, er, Piedmont Park.
Now I know how Seattle Slew felt on a sloppy track.
Well, if I was a gifted athlete who happened to be a horse then I would know exactly how he felt.
Kind of like Woodstock without the music, drugs (except Ibuprofen) and nudity — for which we can all be thankful.
Yes. After today, my childhood friend can check the Peachtree of her bucket list and I can start my streak of running them again at one.
Have you ever run the 6.2 down Peachtree?
You look like you had a great time!
Love it! Sorry I missed you, but way to rock the Peachtree, girl!
A loonng time ago, I used to run some races that had 8000 runners. I thought it was too crowded and crazy. It always amazes me that so many people like doing this. I guess I like running in open spaces. I’m glad you had a good time, but for me there is nothing that looks anything like fun there. To each, their own, as the saying goes.
Never ran it but was thinking yesterday of the mimosa parties at The Mayfair when the race used to turn at 14th Street and head downhill into the park for the finish.
I thought about you yesterday Bob — then I remembered you live up in Alpharetta now. They changed that last turn when the race got so huge. Now we turn at 10th instead of Colony Square and into the park on that narrow road. You need to do it — at least once.
I know Dan. I remember when I was in grade school and we would come to Lenox and stay in one of the hotels. We would see the Braves, shop, etc. Seems we would always leave on the Fourth and my mom would freak out because we would be trying to leave and there were like 5,000 runners at the start. And I agree about the crowd. It makes the thought daunting to get there (esp. from Madison) but once you are there and in the crowd — that’s what makes it fun too. Never say never my friend. 🙂
Same Jana. I want to rock the Wine and Dine with you — but afraid I can’t in 2013.
We did. Thanks Cyn.
We picked up our daughter and her friend right off Monroe Drive. Luckly we brought ten towels and two garbage bags. They were as wet as Andie MacDowell in FW&aF and had Piedmont Park mud on their shoes.
You were the first blog I visited off the NaBloPoMo list today. Loved reading about the race. I can barely walk lol! Going to have a look around your site now, because I need to find out what a turtle wrangler is.
Happy Blogging.
The shoes were definitely muddy Mal. When we lived in Atlanta, my husband would drop me off at Lenox and then I would walk home from the park. A lot more effort to get there now — but I decided yesterday that it was worth it.
Thanks Frances. I’ll be heading your way soon.
What a perfect day for a race!! Now I wish I’d joined you. If you could promise the next July 4 would be as pleasant…
What’s with the little tongue out ? You and your neighbor. 🙂
Congratulations on joining the race for the first time in a few years. Love your pictures! It looks like you had a wonderful day!! –The Dose Girls
[…] matter I had a friend coming in from Florida to run the Peachtree. We were going to start rearranging our house and moving the heck out of my cheese — […]
Come run with us, Jani.
Looks like a great day! Great way to start the 4th of July! Way to go at starting the streak of running this race again. I have one here like that, that I run each year. It is fun!
Take care,
KC