Peactree Road Race: Q&A w/ Atlanta Track Club Director

In 13 days, the sneakered masses will descend upon Buckhead and Midtown for the 40th running of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race. After a one-year drought-imposed absence, the finish area returns to Piedmont Park for the race’s 55,000 runners. Atlanta Track Club Executive Director Tracey Russell talked about the world’s largest 10-kilometer road race.

Q: Will the set-up in Piedmont Park be noticeably different than past years?

A: To the runner, probably not so much, because what they’re used to is, once they cross the finish line right near Charles Allen, we turn them into the park, they get their water, they get their T-shirt. The family meeting area is the same. The [awards] stage is going to be closer to the Park Tavern. It’s on their property, but it’s still facing the Meadow.

Our sponsor tents used to be on the hill. Those are near the gravel lot of the Park Tavern.

Q: What was your reaction when the city told you that the club could use parts of the park again for the finish?

A: Excitement and relief. I think, because it’s a milestone year for us being the 40th running, it’s really nice to know that we’ve connected the event back to part of the identity of the Peachtree, Piedmont Park.

Q: What sorts of sob stories do you hear from runners who didn’t get into the race?

A: [Laughs] I think a lot of them are legitimate. It’s just unfortunate because we’d love to be able to accommodate everybody. Either they were out of town or out of the country, things that prevented them from being able to register, or they didn’t realize they were going to be in town on the Fourth.

There’s a bunch of folks that have been in training or kind of positioned Peachtree as a reason to get back into shape.

Q: What was your reaction to how the new online registration went this year?

A: I think we were excited that we were able to do so much from an automation standpoint, and we got a lot of positive feedback. Even if they experienced some glitches, they were glad that they knew immediately that they got in.

Q: What’s worse on race day, a hot morning or a downpour?

A: Probably a hot morning. I think a downpour is obviously not as fun for the runners and the volunteers and spectators, but from a health standpoint, the precipitation is automatically going to cool people down. In terms of what’s best for the safety of the event, I think if we had to pick from the two, we’d pick a downpour, but we certainly hope the weather gods will be on our side.

Q: What’s something that goes on behind the scenes that runners would have no clue takes place?

A: The one thing that I was struck by in one of my meetings last month was just along this line. We work very closely with the Department of Watershed Management because we get the water through fire hydrants for the water stops and the sprays, and [meter mechanic supervisor] Michael Lovelace has been doing this for many, many years, I want to say well over 20.

He and his crew get up at 2 a.m. to flush out the hydrants and do that sort of thing to guarantee the water’s going to be available for the volunteers who show up at 5 a.m. to start filling cups of water. … There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes, and a lot of people committed to make sure it goes well.

Q: Do you make it to the fireworks on the night of the 4th?

A: I’m usually kind of winding down. My parents come into town every year from Cleveland, and usually by then I’m kind of enjoying some decompression time and also on my laptop responding to e-mails that have come in.