Day 43: Peachtree Road Race!!!!!!!

Atlanta is a city obsessed with fitness. There are more fitness studios than Starbucks, and every day no matter the weather people are out walking, biking, running, etc. Hence, we celebrate all of our holidays with races with lengths proportional to the amount of food and drink that will later be consumed. Attending a 4th of July cookout? Better run a 10k. Thanksgiving day? Half marathon.

Yesterday was the 41st Peachtree Road Race 10k. 55,000 runners and walkers travel 6.2 miles down Peachtree St. through the center of the beautiful city of Atlanta to earn their hamburgers and beer. If you're looking to make a PR, it's probably not the race for you. But if you're looking for one of the most fun races you'll ever run, then I highly recommend it. Spectators line the road and sit out on their balconies cheering participants on. There are live bands and radio station trucks stationed at various places throughout the course for a soundtrack sure to keep you pumped up, and restaurants and other companies throw T-shirts and samples, like a sort of backwards parade. Participants even dress up to run: I think I saw Superman, the Statue of Liberty, and a bunch of boys dressed up in hula skirts. At the end, participants receive the highly coveted Peachtree Road Race T-shirt. There is a design competition every year: local residents design locos for the T-shirts, and people can vote online for their favorite. I really love the design this year, and I feel very lucky to have 2 years' worth of shirts. (Although I ran behind an older woman whose shirt said this was her 30th Peachtree in a row. That is pretty awesome.)

Sadly, 3 of my friends who were supposed to run it with me ended up not being able to. But I met up with a coworker and some other friends in my start wave, and we all met at the end for pictures and to celebrate our accomplishment. The toughest part of the race was probably having to walk back to the MARTA afterward. You know you're running 6.2 miles, but what they don't tell you is you walk another 6.2 getting to the race start and getting back to MARTA after the race (ok, maybe not 6.2, but it feels far). The race itself though was awesome. The course isn't too hilly, and it's impossible not to smile and feel good nearly the entire time because of all the craziness going on around you. I'm so happy with my time: 1:02:03. That's 50 seconds off my time from last year, for a 10k PR for me!!! That's almost perfect 10 minute miles, and includes all the people-dodging that has to occur when you and 49,999 other runners are all packed onto the same street.

So overall, a fun, successful race, which was, of course, followed with much Independence Day celebrating. I feel I earned my holiday fare. And a great run like that is definitely motivational for continuing with my training. Good thing I have the 13.1 to look forward to in October!