Cowbell at Cardiac Hill
Claire Morris, 37, has spent most of her life involved with the Peachtree Road Race.
Each year growing up, her family would station at the top of Cardiac Hill – the infamous section that asks racers to climb more than 12 stories in less than a mile – and cheer racers. And this year, Morris has made sure race participants can hear her cheering from the time they begin their ascent.
She brought her cowbell.
”It’s just so patriotic and brings everybody together in a way that you just can’t do the other 364 days a year,” the Alpharetta native said.
Morris and her two daughters have been stationed at the top of Cardiac Hill since early morning, waiting for her husband and son to reach the top. Once they do, her oldest daughter will join them to finish the last part of the race.
”It just doesn’t feel like the Fourth of July unless you see people running in crazy costumes,” Morris said, motioning to a man running in a bald eagle onesie passing by. “It’s awesome.”
About the Author
Hannah Ziegler is a data analysis and reporting intern on the Digital Storytelling team. She is a rising junior at the University of Maryland studying journalism and information sciences. She is with the AJC through the Dow Jones News Fund data journalism residency and also serves as a news editor for her college newspaper, The Diamondback.
