Peachtree Road Race updates: Be present

Important question for the Peachtree pros out there: What’s your pre-run drink of choice? If you prefer to exercise in the mornings, maybe you lean toward a classic cup of coffee. If so, I have some good news for you. Recent studies suggest a daily cup of Joe (or four 👀) may do more than provide an energy boost. It may also support heart, liver and brain health.

Send me your pre-workout rituals at nicole.bennett@ajc.com, and I’ll include as many as possible in next month’s newsletter.

INSPIRATION FOR YOUR WARMUP

Olympic swimmer Janet Evans (right) passes the Olympic flame to boxing legend Muhammad Ali at the 1996 Atlanta Games. (Courtesy of Lynn Johnson/Sports Illustrated)

• Ali’s lighting of the Olympic cauldron to open the 1996 Summer Olympics remains, quite arguably, the most captivating opening ceremony moment in the history of the Games.
• Then 54 years old, Ali had led a transcendent life, enduring racism and suffering for adhering to his Muslim faith, yet becoming a boxing champion and a beloved global figure.
• But, fighting Parkinson’s disease, his body was visibly unsteady on that July night.

Though she won four golds and a silver in her career, Evans said the opening ceremony helped her recognize the Olympics aren’t only about winning medals. For her, Ali’s appearance illustrated a broader lesson: Show up. Be present. Do your best.

“I think that having a platform as someone like him, or any of us athletes, is really an important thing,” Evans said. “And the medals fade, and they sit in a safe, right? But what are you doing to give back to be a part of something? And I think his moment kind of illustrated that.”

🔥 Read more: How Evans helped bring the Olympics to Atlanta.

ROUTES WE LOVE

Take a run through history and support our National Park Service with a Kennesaw jaunt. (AJC file)

Bill, a longtime Peachtree participant, wrote in last fall to share his tradition of driving down from Chattanooga, Tennessee, to run the race — 10 times and counting!

His favorite running spots?

• In Atlanta, he said he swears by the trails at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park.
• Back home in Chattanooga, it’s all about the bridges — Market Street, Walnut Street and the Veterans Memorial Bridge — plus scenic routes through Enterprise South Nature Park and the Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park.

TRAINING & TIPS

Building stronger legs can support everyday movement, from climbing stairs to getting out of a chair. (AJC)

Christian Torres said he’s heard every excuse for skipping leg day. “You know you need it. You just have to figure out how to make it make sense for you,” said Torres, an Atlanta certified personal trainer who goes by Coach Chris.

According to the CDC’s Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, along with muscle-strengthening activities at least two days a week.

Yet about 80% of adults aren’t meeting those recommendations, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Torres, founder of Primal OverDrive, recommends training every major function of the lower body by mixing exercises that build strength, stability and balance. Here are a few of his favorites:

1. Squat: “One of the best overall lower-body strength exercises because they train the legs through a movement we use constantly in everyday life,” Torres explained. It primarily targets the quadriceps, glutes, adductors, hamstrings and core.
2. Romanian dead lift: This strengthens the back of the legs and teaches proper hip hinging, targeting the hamstrings, glutes and spinal erectors.
3. Bulgarian split squat: “One of my favorite unilateral exercises because each leg has to produce force independently,” Torres told the AJC. “It can expose and improve side-to-side strength differences.” It works the quadriceps and glutes, with help from the hamstrings and adductors.
4. Hip thrust: This strengthens hip extension, which matters for running, jumping, climbing stairs and standing from a seated position. It primarily targets the glutes, with the hamstrings and adductors assisting.

🦵 Read more: Two more exercises, plus the most common mistake Torres sees across all six movements.

Speaking of training smarter, stay tuned. The newsletter will be back Saturday, Oct. 17, with more tips to support your fitness and wellness routine

KEEP THE MOMENTUM GOING

• Sept. 28: In-Training Fall Beginners 5K
• Oct. 13: Grand Prix Cross Country 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.