Hello, Peachtree racers,
It’s great to be back. I hope you’ve enjoyed some well-earned recovery time since race day, and congratulations again to everyone who crossed the finish line this summer.
We’re about 10 months away from the 58th Northside Hospital Peachtree Road Race, and for the next 300-plus days, I’ll be here to help you stay motivated and connected with fellow racers all year long.
AN OLYMPIC LEGEND IN THE SPOTLIGHT
In search of inspiration this month, I came across a story from UATL senior editor Ernie Suggs about Olympic track icon Edwin Moses.
July 25 marked the 50th anniversary of Moses’ first Olympic gold medal at the Montreal Summer Games, “a victory that launched one of the most dominant careers in track and field history,” Suggs writes.
- Moses would go on to win two more Olympic medals, break several records and become one of sport’s leading advocates in addressing pay equity and combating the use of performance-enhancing drugs.
- Former Morehouse College President John Silvanus Wilson remembers the 1976 race well. What stayed with him: Seeing the tiny Black school in Atlanta represented on the world’s largest sporting stage.
- Amazing stat: Morehouse didn’t even have a track at the time.
- A physics major at Morehouse, Moses approached the 400-meter hurdles scientifically. He eventually perfected the now-famous 13-step pattern between hurdles, while most took 15.
ROUTES WE LOVE
As you establish or revamp your exercise routine, finding the right route can make all the difference. According to a 2025 survey, two of the best places for “wellness walks” in the U.S. are right here in Georgia. Dahlonega and Blue Ridge both made Assisted Living Magazine’s list of top scenic strolls.
Last year, as I started training for my first Peachtree, so many readers reached out with their favorite routes — the places where they train, unwind and find their own rhythm.
Here are a few I hope to visit again:
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. 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.”
I found a gem right near my house last summer: E.E. Robinson Park in Sugar Hill. It has something to get everyone in your family moving, including: a .95-mile paved trail with a bridge, a football/multipurpose field with a lighted track, seven baseball/softball fields, six pickleball courts, two sand volleyball courts, six lighted tennis courts, a splash pad and a covered playground.
Atlanta Track Club’s site is also a great place to start if you’re looking for a new route.
Do you have a route you love? Send me an email at nicole.bennett@ajc.com, and I’ll include it in next month’s newsletter.
TRAINING & TIPS
Another article that spoke to me this month explores why fitness after 40 feels different, especially for women.
“When Cher Small moved from Miami to Atlanta after a decade in the Air Force, she saw it as a chance for a fresh start,” AJC contributor Olivia LaBorde writes. Instead, within two years, the 40-year-old found herself facing a challenge familiar to many women in midlife: Even with consistent exercise, changes in hormones, metabolism and muscle mass made weight management and fitness more challenging than it did in earlier decades.
Dr. Courtney Whittle, a board-certified pediatrician and obesity medicine physician who founded Atlanta-based Weight A Minute Clinic, sees this confusion play out with patients constantly.
“One of the biggest mistakes we make is expecting our 45-year-old body to respond the same way our 25-year-old body did,” Whittle says. The reasons are layered, she explains.
- Hormonal changes during perimenopause can affect how the body stores fat.
- Declining muscle mass can make it harder to maintain strength and metabolism without regular resistance training.
- Sleep can also deteriorate, disrupting hormones that help regulate hunger. A study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics shows perimenopausal women are more likely than women in any other stage of the transition to average less than seven hours of sleep a night.
“When we consistently get poor sleep, our hunger hormones can change,” Whittle says. “Ghrelin, the hormone that signals hunger, tends to increase, while leptin, the hormone that helps us feel full, decreases.”
🏋️♀️ Read more: For many women entering midlife, the answer isn’t pushing harder, but training smarter. (Men, don’t scroll past this one. There’s plenty here for you, too.)
Speaking of training smarter, stick with us! The newsletter will be back on Saturday, Sept. 19, with more tips for your fitness and wellness routine.
KEEP THE MOMENTUM GOING
More than 50,000 of you hit the pavement for the 57th Peachtree Road Race on July Fourth, marking an unforgettable day of community and celebration. In that same spirit, we’ve rounded up a few events to help you stay motivated and reconnect with at least a few of your 50,000 Peachtree running buddies before next year.
👟 Here are some Atlanta Track Club events to add to your calendar:
- Aug. 29: Run with Maud 5k Run/Walk
- Sept. 12: Firefighter 5K
- Oct. 25: PNC Atlanta 10 Miler & 5K
- Nov. 7: Mercedes-Benz Stadium Move with MADD 5K
More info and sign-up links here
👟 Other 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 the Track Club, and there’s bound to be an event near you.
SOME PEACHTREE HISTORY
🍑 In 1999, Khalid Khannouchi defended his Peachtree title during the 30th running of the race in 27 minutes and 45 seconds. Elana Meyer of South Africa won the women’s division, finishing her first Peachtree in 31:34.
🍑 This year, Patrick Kiprop took the men’s title in 27:36, while Tsigie Gebreselama won the women’s elite division in 31:02.
🍑 Yesterday, my dog Aspen and I covered about a mile in 25 minutes on our walk. Hey, you have to start somewhere.
COOLDOWN
Last year, I asked for song recommendations to add to a community playlist for the Peachtree, and you all absolutely delivered.
Let’s build it again. Send me your go-to exercise songs, and I’ll add them to this year’s playlist. Whether your workout is a run, a swim, a bike ride or a dance class, remember: Slow and steady wins the race. You’ve got nothing but time. 💪✨