Peachtree Road Race updates: Back in stride

RACE COUNTDOWN: 8 WEEKS

The Peachtree begins at Lenox Square and finishes in Piedmont Park, taking participants through the heart of the city. (Arvin Temkar/AJC 2025)

We’re less than 60 days from the 57th running of the Northside Hospital Peachtree Road Race. What can you achieve in that time?

Today, we’ll start building a list of must-know Peachtree details and get you set with the motivation you need to make this your best race yet.

PEACHTREE QUICK HITS

🎽 Registration for Atlanta Track Club members is still open: Although general entry for the Peachtree Road Race closed April 21, members can still sign up. They’re also guaranteed a spot in the race (plus a discounted entry fee).

🤞🏽 Lottery results are here: Non-Atlanta Track Club members entered through the lottery, and notifications began going out April 22.

🎤 Peachtree Eve celebration set for July 3: Darryl “DMC” McDaniels of Run-DMC will take the stage at the start line with a free prerace celebration (and fireworks) for registered participants at Lenox Square.

EXPERTS URGE A SLOW RETURN TO FITNESS

Longer days and warmer temperatures are nudging more people back into outdoor exercise, but experts say it's key to take things slow and stay hydrated. (Natrice Miller/AJC 2025)

As runners gear up for the Peachtree, experts say it’s also a good time to ease back into outdoor workouts safely.

But they warn picking up where you left off can strain joints and lead to injury, especially for older adults.

“Over time, especially during the winter, we see muscles and joints stiffen due to inactivity,” said Dr. Joel Caschette, a former emergency room physician and chief medical officer for United Healthcare’s Medicare Advantage plans. “That’s compounded by declines in balance, coordination and endurance.”

Doctors emphasize a simple approach: Start low and go slow.

• Caschette recommends low-impact activities such as walking, swimming or cycling for 15 to 20 minutes, gradually increasing duration and intensity. A common guideline is the “10% rule,” increasing activity by no more than 10% per week.
• Strength training also plays a key role in supporting joints and maintaining bone density. Dr. Trevor Turner, a Buckhead physician, recommends simple exercises using resistance bands or light weights.
• Warm-ups and cool-downs can reduce injury risk. Mild soreness is normal, Caschette says, but persistent pain, swelling or instability should prompt a pause and the need for professional advice.

💪 Read more: Why physicians say spring is an ideal time to restart activity — despite the risks

KEEP THE MOMENTUM GOING

• May 12, 19 & 26: All Comers Track & Field Meets
• May 19: Wingfoot Mile
• June 6: Braves Country 5K & Dash presented by Southwire

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 other than the Atlanta Track Club, and there’s bound to be an event near you.

INSPIRATION FOR THE ROAD AHEAD

Strength training plays a key role in supporting joints and maintaining bone density while exercising or preparing for events like the Peachtree Road Race. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)

Atlanta’s sports scene is thriving beyond the Peachtree, too.

U.S. Soccer officials opened their $200 million National Training Center and headquarters this week, roughly 22 miles southwest of downtown Atlanta, calling it “the home for soccer in America.”

The new 200-acre Fayetteville facility is a fútbol showcase, entrenching Georgia as the center of the sport’s growth in the United States and bolstering claims that Atlanta is now the nation’s soccer capital, especially as the 2026 World Cup approaches.

“There is something incredibly powerful about having a place to call your home,” said Oguchi Onyewu, former U.S. national team player and U.S. Soccer Federation executive. “Today, that’s exactly what this is — our home, and the home for the entire soccer community in this country.”

Onyewu was joined by Georgia dignitaries, business leaders and sports stars who gathered to christen the Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center. The facility includes the federation’s headquarters, nearly 20 soccer fields and virtually every sports-related amenity imaginable for athletes ranging from youth players to worldwide stars:

• Indoor courts and fields
• An opulent gym featuring Nike-branded weights and lifting equipment boasting screens and pressure pads
• A hydrotherapy wing with sleeping pods, hot tubs, cooling baths and a menagerie of massage beds
• Eight locker rooms that run the gamut from youth lockers to spaces that rival those in professional stadiums

⚽ Read more: How the facility aims to mirror iconic sports venues like Augusta National and Wimbledon