Fourty-two years the AJC Peachtree Road Race has offered Fourth of July fun to contestants from all over Atlanta, Georgia, America, and now the world. Yesterday's victor is a 24-year old Kenyan named Peter Kirul (24:37). Non-American natives are easily spotted throughout the Top 100. The Top 12 are strictly Kenyans and Ethiopians. In fact, the first Georgian to place is Gainesville native Ty McCormack (30:30). He placed 26th out of the 60,000 that run the race. It is indeed impressive that McCormack placed in the Top 30. What is more impressive is that a small footrace that began from 110 Atlantians in the parking lot of Sears on the corner of Peachtree and Roswell Rd has turned into a world wide runner's destination.
The foreign runners are not so infamous in the younger and older age groups. The 46 - 70+ year old competitors are mainly Americans, and most of those are Georgians. Once Georgians get a taste of the Peachtree at an early age they cannot leave the excitement of the environment of the race. Starting from the packed Marta cars getting to the race, to walking around the beautiful landscape of Atlanta, to the energized start waves.
The Peachtree Road Race has more than just a race to offer. It is a business opportunity for the businesses along the course. It is a volunteer opportunity for teenagers needing hours for college
Congrats to the Peachtree Road Race, not even 50 years of racing across Atlanta and it has attracted world wide acclaim and 60,000 people to celebrate the birthday of America.
All information was received from the AJC and Peachtree Road Race website.
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| This is the 2012 Peachtree Road Race t-shirt design by Rachel Campbell, a co-founder of LogosAtlanta. |
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