AJC Peachtree Road Race updates: Find your motivation

WARM UP WITH THIS MONTH’S ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT

A close call followed by quadruple bypass surgery taught high school running coach Keith Hooper the importance of being positive.

• Hooper is a a long-distance runner, running coach and beloved Spanish teacher at River Ridge High School in Woodstock, Georgia.
• In January, Hooper suffered a heart attack right in the middle of class. He survived thanks to an emergency quadruple bypass surgery at Northside Hospital Cherokee in Canton.
• He returned to school in late February, determined to bounce back. Progress came slowly but steadily: walking a mile in 22 minutes, finishing a 5K on a treadmill.
• By the summer, Hooper had completed his first half-marathon since his heart attack. He was a bit slower than his usual pace, but it was a deeply meaningful victory.

“I really feel like I’m a different person,” Hooper said. “Not that I wasn’t positive before, but this opened my eyes. I’m more focused on it now because you see the impact.”

💪 Read more about Hooper’s inspiring story here

TRAINING & TIPS

Dr. Christopher Gaunder is a former University of Georgia football player, an Air Force veteran and a leading Piedmont orthopedic surgeon in the Athens area.

• Warming up is critical for injury prevention. According to the American Heart Association, warming up widens the blood vessels, giving muscles more oxygen for better performance. A proper warm up includes low-intensity exercises like walking for 5 to 10 minutes. You should break a light sweat, but it shouldn’t leave you feeling tired.
• Hydration is no laughing matter. If you expect your workout will last longer than an hour, Dr. Gaunder said it’s important to drink something infused with electrolytes beforehand.
• Afterward, 16 to 24 ounces of water or an electrolyte drink helps with recovery. Chocolate milk is also a great post-workout option. Just be mindful of sugar — the AHA recommends no more than 25 to 36 grams of added sugar per day.

ROUTES WE LOVE

A scenic walk or run at Chastain Park would definitely get me outside this fall.

Dave, an avid runner, wrote in last month to share some of his favorite routes across metro Atlanta (thank you, Dave!).

Chastain Park: With cooler temps and shorter evening light, he suggested a visit to Chastain Park, which features a “terrific loop of about three miles circling the golf course.”

Atlanta Memorial Park: Part of the Beltline with distances of two to six miles, Dave said the park is “very popular throughout the day, but wear a light during late fall/winter evenings.”

KEEP THE MOMENTUM GOING

• Nov. 12: November Midweek Mile & Dash
• Nov. 15: Mercedes-Benz Stadium Move with MADD 5K
• Nov. 27: Invesco QQQ Thanksgiving Day Half Marathon, 5K, Mile & Dash

More info and sign-up links here

• Beltline Run/Walk Club: Super easy. Find a weekly meetup that works for you, and show up.
• Community group runs around the city: These events are hosted by organizations outside of the Atlanta Track Club, and there’s bound to be an event near you.

SOME PEACHTREE HISTORY

🍑 From the bottom of page 62 in The Atlanta Journal’s Sept. 7, 2001, edition:

Meet Zach Bobowski. At an early age, Zach took up wheelchair racing and in 2001, he was the youngest racer in the Peachtree. That same year, he won six gold medals in the Junior National Wheelchair Championship. When asked about his hopes for the future, Zach told the AJC his goal was simply to “keep getting better.”

How’s that for motivation?

MORE TO GO

We’re about seven months out from the 57th running of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race, and for the next 230-plus days, I’ll be here to help you stay motivated and connected with fellow racers.

The newsletter will be back on Saturday, Dec. 6, with more advice for your fitness and wellness routine.

COOLDOWN

Whether it’s your high school coach, a football player, a trailblazing athlete or — in my case — an adorable 7-year-old pup named Aspen, focus on whoever or whatever encourages you and gets you moving over the next few months.