A warm, humid forecast for AJC Peachtree means runners need fluids before, during and after

The weather forecast for the starting line at Thursday's AJC Peachtree Road Race means participants should be sure they are hydrated, drinking plenty of fluids before the race, starting now.

Channel 2 Action News meteorologist Katie Walls expects temperatures in the mid-70s when racers line up at Lenox Square. By the time most participants reach the finish line at Piedmont Park, it will be even warmer. A heat index will feel like the low 90s by about 10 a.m.

Race organizers will be announcing conditions before and during the race, based on a color-coded warning system. Green means good and red means dangerous. Organizers said the race will probably start with a yellow flag, which means caution, and it could change to red during the race.

Best advice for runners and racers is to drink plenty of fluids, watch their pace and be careful, race director Rich Kenah said at a pre-race news conference Tuesday.

"I want our medical tent to be empty at the end of the day and not full,” Kenah said. “ We are prepared for anything that comes at us, but we want everyone to think about preparing."

The coolest start to the race was 62 degrees, recorded in 1986 and 1989, according to the Atlanta Track Club. The warmest start was 80 degrees, and that has happened six times, including the first race in 1970. The most recent 80-degree start was 1991. The temperature in 2018 at the starting line was 75, according to the Track Club.