From a small gathering of 110 avid runners in 1970, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race has blossomed into the world’s largest 10-kilometer road race. It’s now a Fourth of July institution that has been dominated by the internationals in the field for the past 20 years.
“I think part of the beauty of the Peachtree is that it offers you, your neighbor and your co-worker the chance to participate in the same event as world-class athletes,” said John Curtin, who works for the Atlanta Track Club to foster the assembling of an elite field. “That doesn’t happen in any other sport.”
Despite today’s international flavor, the race began as an almost all-American event. Americans won 12 of the first 13 races.
“Now there’s a group of road specialists among the foreign athletes,” Curtin said.
These specialists have their eyes set on the Peachtree and its prize money, as well as leaving the Americans in the dust. But the American talent in this year’s race is considered the most competitive in years.
Top American male contenders include marathon-runner Ryan Hall and the 2010 USA Men’s 10K Championship winner Ed Moran. In last year’s Peachtree, Moran posted a time of 28:19, good for 10th overall. For these American runners, the Peachtree offers a chance to race against top international talent on their home turf.
The strength of the field has grown because for the fourth time in five years, the Peachtree also will host the USA Men’s 10K championship. The championship features a purse of $30,000 — with the winner of the USA Men’s 10K receiving $10,000. That extra $30,000 brings the Peachtree purse to just over $110,000.
“Even though their finish may not be as high, the race makes sense to them as a professional,” Curtin said of the continued American interest. “These runners get to challenge themselves in an international field, but they still have the opportunity for a payday.”
While other races may give athletes appearance money, the Peachtree remains a prize money-only race.
“We only bring people to the race that are ready to run for the money,” Curtin said. “People come to Peachtree to perform.”
By sweetening the deal for American talent, the additional money in the purse ensures that these elite runners return year after year alongside some of the world’s top road-racing athletes.
“A major part of the long-term plan has been to raise the level of competition at those championships,” said Jim Estes, director of marketing and long-distance running programs at USA Track and Field. “The Peachtree is a great partner for USATF in that it provides our runners with competition amongst themselves and top international competition.”
The elite field wasn’t finalized until Thursday. There were commitments from 50 invited runners between the men’s open and masters fields, and 31 are Americans.
“If you look at how competitive American runners have gotten on the track at the 5K and 10K distance in recent years, they’ve definitely put themselves in the competitive arena,” Estes said. “I think our runners have positioned themselves to have a chance [at winning].”
However, winning this year’s Peachtree won’t be an easy task for even the more-talented American runners.
Sammy Kitwara, the 2009 winner, returns. He holds the record for the second-best finish with a time of 27:22 in his victory. Fellow Kenyan Mathew Kisorio will race and is coming off a recent fourth-place finish at the World Cross Country Championships in March.
Among women, the field includes 28 elite runners in the open and masters races, nine of which are American. Kenya’s Alice Timbilili headlines the field, returning after placing second last year.
“It’s part of the Peachtree’s charm. People won’t know the people who win or their name, but they’ll know that it attracts some of the best talent in the world,” Curtin said.
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