Hello, Peachtree racers.
Spring has sprung and with that comes the return of the yellow monster. Any tips for powering through a run during pollen season (when your head feels like it’s about to explode)? Email me and I’ll share your advice in next month’s newsletter.
Whether you’re a Peachtree pro or first-timer (like me), this newsletter is for you. Let’s figure it out together one mile, one month, one sweaty step at a time.
AN ICONIC ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT
The running community is mourning a fierce advocate. Jeff Galloway, 1972 Olympian, co-creator and first-ever winner of the newly renamed Northside Hospital Peachtree Road Race, founder of Phidippides running store and author of more than 20 books on running, died on Feb. 25 at age 80.
His influence on everyday runners is immeasurable. Galloway did more than inspire elite athletes; he changed how everyday people approached running. Along the way, countless beginners found confidence, joy and a sense of belonging.
That influence spans even the most accomplished runners. For example, as the AJC’s Avery Newmark reports, entrepreneur and athlete Jesse Itzler has logged more than 50,000 lifetime miles and credits the Galloway Method with completing 100‑mile races without ever dropping out. “Jeff Galloway changed the way I ran. His method has been my approach to running for 35 years,” Itzler wrote in a LinkedIn post.
Also known as run/walk/run, the Galloway Method incorporates planned walk breaks from the very beginning of your run, not just when you’re exhausted.
Repetitive impact on hard surfaces is one of the leading causes of running injuries, including stress fractures, according to Yale Medicine. Short walk breaks give your body a chance to recover and reset, so each running interval starts fresher than the last.
Galloway himself said walk breaks could “almost eliminate injury” in his training programs, a claim backed by decades of results across hundreds of thousands of runners he coached.
🏃 Read more: How the Galloway Method works and shoe picks to get you moving
ROUTES WE LOVE
Since I started training for my first Peachtree, I’ve heard from so many of you about the ways Jeff Galloway shaped your running journeys.
Along with those memories came something else I loved just as much: your favorite running routes — the places where you train, unwind and find your own rhythm.
Here are a few I can’t wait to try over the next few months:
From David: “I live in Lithia Springs and my go-to training route is the Silver Comet Trail. It’s fairly flat and a lot of it has shade for running on the hot days. There are always squirrels, chipmunks and birds to cheer you on, with the occasional rabbit or deer for good measure. The trail starts in Smyrna and ends at the Alabama line, so there are plenty of places to hop on and see new scenery.”
From Mark: “My favorite running route for training for the Peachtree is the Cheatham Hill Loop Trail. It extends up and over several hills that are challenging and a great workout."
From Melvin: “My new favorite trail is the Atlanta Beltline’s Westside Trail. Outstanding greenery, foliage and sights. Also plenty of hills, and places to stop and rest, if you wish.”
GREEN SPACE PRESCRIPTION
Speaking of the Beltline — Atlanta’s signature trail network is now home to the world’s longest linear arboretum.
Officials announced the designation on March 12, the AJC’s Amy Wenk reports, highlighting an arboretum (a collection of woody plants and trees) that spans more than a dozen miles along its completed trail segments, featuring:
- 647 unique tree and woody shrub species and cultivars
- Special collections, including a pitcher-plant bog, native azaleas and more than 15 cultivars of pawpaw
- More than 700,000 native plants, including grasses and wildflowers
The Beltline Arboretum is longer than Vancouver’s Stanley Park Seawall or New York’s High Line, Beltline officials said. It maintains accreditation from ArbNet, an international network of more than 900 arboreta.
🌳 Read more: Atlanta Beltline is home to world’s longest linear arboretum, officials say
KEEP THE MOMENTUM GOING
👟 Here are some Atlanta Track Club events to add to your calendar:
- March 29: Members 10K
- April 18: Northside Beltline 5K-3K
- May 9: Northside Hospital Atlanta Women’s 4 Miler
More info and sign-up links here
👟 Other local meetups to check out:
- 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 other than Atlanta Track Club, and there’s bound to be an event near you.
CAST YOUR VOTE
The time has come to vote in the 2026 Northside Hospital Peachtree Road Race T-shirt contest.
A panel of judges from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Atlanta Track Club, and the Atlanta running and walking community have narrowed down hundreds of submissions to five. Now the public will decide the winning design.
👕 Voting is open through April 10 exclusively on the AJC News app.
👕 You can vote once daily.
👕 This year’s winning designer will receive a prize of $5,700 (in honor of the 57th running of the race). The creators behind the second and third place designs will take home $2,000 and $1,000, respectively.
👕 The winning design stays under wraps until the first runner crosses the finish line.
“Each year, this contest gives artists the opportunity to leave their mark on a tradition that stretches across generations of runners."
🔎 Read more: Check out this year’s finalists and read what the artists had to say about their inspiration
SOME PEACHTREE HISTORY
🍑 From a 1971 North Fulton County edition of The Atlanta Journal: Twenty-six-year-old Jeff Galloway … is trying to run his way to the 1972 Olympics by putting in 200 miles a week. … “Regardless of whether I make the Olympics, I’ve enjoyed it,” Jeff said of his running. “I’ve come a long way.”
Even in his 20s, Galloway was already doing what he’d spend a lifetime teaching: putting in the miles and finding joy in the journey.
COOLDOWN
Circling back to springtime training, I have a follow-up question: Are you an early bird exerciser or a workout-optimizing night owl (especially this time of year)?
According to NASM-certified Muscle Booster personal trainer and fitness nutrition specialist David Sautter, workout habits are shifting. An interest in evening workouts is on the rise nationwide, the workout expert explained. The reasoning has nothing to do with dumbbells or treadmills, though. It comes down to friendships and the “rise of social fitness.”
Whether you’re logging miles at sunrise or after sunset, we’re cheering you on every step toward the Peachtree. 💪✨
About the Author
Nicole Bennett is a producer for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s suite of newsletters, helping curate and edit content across topics from local and national news to food, sports, travel and wellness.
