The next evolution of the AJC Peachtree Road Race began showing up in email in-boxes late Sunday night.
Entrants for the first-ever lottery for spots in the world's largest 10-kilometer race learned if they had been accepted. With the race expanded by 5,000 to 60,000 runners, about 2,000 applicants were rejected.
The process went without a hitch, according to Atlanta Track Club executive director Tracey Russell.
"We were very pleased," Russell said Monday.
The club moved to a lottery to fill the July Fourth race after operating on a first-come, first-served basis in years past, first by U.S. mail and the last two years online. The club determined that a lottery would be more equitable and expanded the field this year in part to accommodate anticipated demand.
In the first year that participants could apply as groups, about one-third of all entries represented groups ranging in size from two to 10.
Russell said the club had received some complaints, but fewer than in past years because of the larger field.
One of the unlucky ones was Tony Brown, a software developer from Austell. Brown has run the Peachtree since 2004 and submitted a 10K time, but was among the roughly 3 percent who didn't get in. Monday morning, Brown not only received his email informing him he would not get a Peachtree number, but also heard from co-workers who had never run before but received numbers. Brown said he was disenchanted with the process.
"It's supposed to be a running event," he said. "If it's weighted more towards people that have run in the past, I think it'd be a lot more fair."
The club has one form of redress for Peachtree veterans. Runners who have finished 10 or more Peachtrees and did not get accepted can contact the club for a spot if their participation can be documented. Russell said the club plans to keep the lottery for next year.
Russell noted that more than 30 percent of last year's field was made up of first-time Peachtree runners. The July Fourth institution has introduced thousands to running.
Said Russell of complaints, "A lot of it's just people feeling frustrated that they weren't able to get in."
Runners who didn't get accepted or who did not apply can purchase numbers through the track club's transfer system beginning in April on peachtreeroadrace.org. While the club prohibits the re-sale of numbers through other means, they are usually also available on ebay and craigslist.
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