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I ran the largest 10K event in the world on July Fourth—here’s how it went.
Whenever anyone asked me why I was choosing to run Atlanta’s 10K Peachtree Road Race in the middle of summer—and on a holiday no less—my answer was: “Just because it’s hard, doesn’t mean I shouldn’t do it.” And not to brag, but it wasn’t incredibly hard. If anything, I had a blast—and I’m already thinking of signing up for next year.
To backtrack a bit, this wasn’t my first race—though I’ve only ever done a few 5Ks (I’ve ran Raleigh’s Run for Love 5K for the past three years!) and the Turkey Trot Chicago 8K. A 10K did seem a bit daunting, especially in ~Hotlanta~ of all places, but I accepted the challenge and the grit and determination it was going to take to not only train for it, but complete it.
The lead-up to the race came with its fair share of mishaps. Instead of getting my bib mailed I chose to pick it up the day before at the Peachtree Health & Fitness Expo, but as soon as I arrived it was shut down due to lightning and thunder. After being forced to wait inside the adjacent Lenox Square Mall for almost an hour, the expo opened back up and we were all shepherded outside to wait in what appeared to be a mile-long line. … Only for it to start raining and be shut down again. I was one of many people to stand in the rain (no umbrella!) until they let people in.
Not only was it frustrating to have to wait so long—and in the rain—to secure my bib, but the lack of communication made the whole thing seem entirely unorganized. Not once did I receive a text blast or email about the expo being closed, nor did they reach out with a timeframe or directions on what to do next. While the expo did end up being cool (there were oodles of swag, samples, giveaways, merch, etc.), next time I’ll happily pay the shipping fee to get my bib sent in the mail.
Race day began with its own set of problems. While Atlanta is known for its MARTA rail system, it was down the morning of the 10K, leaving several hundred people stuck waiting on the platform I was traveling from—and a handful of others who resorted to ordering Ubers/Lyfts.
Just when I thought the universe must’ve really not wanted me to run this race, they were back up and running again, and taking the MARTA into Atlanta was actually pretty seamless from there. I know Raleigh has a great bus system, but I do feel like having a rail to transport thousands of participants into the city for a race day—or any event for that matter—would be a game-changer.
Despite all the setbacks, running the Peachtree Road Race was one of the funnest things I’ve ever taken part of. The largest 10K event in the world, it saw 60,000 participants this year—and what seemed like thousands of spectators. Throughout the entire route, there were people lined up on the sides of the road handing out water, snacks, swag and even alcohol. I witnessed people giving out Jell-O shots, beers, Champagne pours and full cans of beer. There was music playing from speakers, tons of funny signs and costumes, and lots and lots of lively cheering.
It was just the type of community camaraderie that made running six miles on the Fourth of July feel like a party—one that I was proud to be a part of and wanted to do again as soon as I crossed the finish line.
The cheery environment was similar to that of the Run for Love 5K, but on a much larger scale (and you won’t find anyone handing out booze at Dix Park). And though I’ve never ran or attended the City of Oaks Marathon, I’ve seen how spectators line the streets with signs to cheer participants on. Maybe this year I’ll be one of them.
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