A snapshot look at Monday’s The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race:
The first Peachtree was held in 1970, with 150 runners (though only 110 would finish). There were no T-shirts, no water stops, no food and no postrace entertainment. The entry fee was $2.
Twenty-six percent of participants in the Peachtree will be running it for the first time. Six percent have run the Peachtree at least 20 times.
The coolest starting temperature on race day was 62 degrees in 1986 and 1989. The warmest was 80 degrees in 1970, ’73, ’77, ‘80, ’83 and ’91.
Participants in the 2011 event will represent 48 states and the District of Columbia. The only two states not represented are South Dakota and Nevada. Other than Georgia, Florida (902), Alabama (659) and Tennessee (635) have the most participants.
Three women participated in the first Peachtree in 1970. Today, close to half of the participants are women.
The PRR Expo has more than 100 different exhibits, including gear and apparel, gift items, races and food items.
This year’s 60,000 participants will burn 36 million calories running the course.
The fastest men’s time is 27:04, by Kenya’s Joseph Kimani in 1996.
The fastest women’s time is 30:32, by Kenya’s Lornah Kiplagat in 2002.
The fastest men’s time in the wheelchair division is 18:38, by Saul Mendoza.
The fastest women’s time in the wheelchair division is 22:09, by Edith Hunkler.
Gayle Barron and Lornah Kiplagat are tied for the most wins (five) in the women’s division.
Nearly 2,700 runners will participate in oversea editions in Afghanistan, Iraq and Kuwait.
The most popular T-shirt size this year is large, totaling 28 percent of the sizes.
The average age of this year’s participants is 39.6.
What does it take to produce a successful race? It takes:
3,400 volunteers
750 portable toilets
250 tables
250 cases of cups (that’s 600,000)
200 trash cans
150 medical personnel
110 hoses
50 rolls of duct tape
40 rakes
17 pallets of peaches (that’s 42,500)
12 pairs of pliers
About the Author
