DEL.ICIO.USWeather, return to Piedmont popular with runners
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Saturday, July 04, 2009
The biggest change of last year’s AJC Peachtree Road Race was the infamous move of the finish line to Juniper and Ponce de Leon.
The biggest change this year? The weather — specifically, how beautiful it was.
Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com
The pack of runners was curb to curb heading down Peachtree Street this morning. Because of fair weather, fewer medical incidents than usual were reported.
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With temperatures in the mid to upper 60s for most of the morning, runners raved about the race conditions. And better weather meant fewer runners to treat in the course’s medical tent at the end of the race, said Dr. Perry Julien, co-medical director of the race.
“It was a real-low key day,” Julien said. “Overall, thanks to the weather and thanks to the course, everybody did well.”
Julien said a little over 100 people were treated, mostly for minor injuries related to heat. Seven were transported to local hospitals for precautionary reasons, but all were in good condition, Julien said.
Last year, he said, the medical crew treated about 140 runners.
The return of the finish to Piedmont Park was an added safety bonus as the downhill finish encourages runners to keep walking at the end of the race instead of stopping and bending over.
“It’s a wonderful thing for the health of the runners,” Julien said.
Medical volunteer Brian Dugal, who just began his residency at Emory, University said heat exhaustion is treated by cooling runners off in the medical tent using towels and ice. Nurses checked runners’ vital signs every five minutes in the tent.
Other ailments treated in the tent included blisters and abrasions from trips.
“In terms of the overall health of the runner, I think this was a great year,” said Julien, who has worked at the race for 18 years.
Runners seemed to agree.
“There was nothing bad about today,” said first-time Peachtree runner Angela Carroll.
“It was perfect,” said first time racer Jennifer Williams. “I thought it was going to be hot. This is better than what I expected.”
For runner Iain Prentice, the cooler weather made him feel at home. Prentice is a native of Scotland.
“The weather was good and that was the main thing,” said Prentice, who has lived in Georgia for 14 years. “Compared to Scotland, this is very hot.”
Jim Drinkard has run 30 Peachtrees and said this was among the coolest, particularly in terms of humidity. He also said he was also glad the course’s finish line returned to Piedmont Park after a one-year hiatus due to drought conditions last summer.
“This is where it’s supposed to end,” Drinkard said.
Jody Edlin, who ran the race for her 12th year today, agreed.
“I feel like I’m back home again,” Edlin said.
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