Chris Konochel visits from San Francisco for AJC Peachtree Road Race
Chris Konochel flew in from San Francisco to run in the AJC Peachtree Road Race on Tuesday.
Konochel said he hadn’t visited Georgia in a long time and was among the 19 percent of participants who hadn’t ran previously.
“Well, I know it’s a big event,” he said. “And my whole family does it, my buddy’s family does it, but I’ve never done it. So I came back to do it.”
As one might expect, adjusting from a California summer to Georgia summer isn’t an enjoyable experience. Konochel said he doesn’t run much in San Francisco, and experiencing Tuesday’s heat was a challenge.
“This was unbelievably hard,” he said. “It (California) has made me soft. Everything is too hot and humid. I don’t want to be outside. California makes you soft.”
Konochel is one of many who came to Atlanta just for the race. Forty-seven states are represented, with the North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming as outliers.
Konochel flies back to San Francisco on Wednesday.
About the Author
Gabriel Burns is a general assignment reporter and features writer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. After four years on the Braves beat, he's expanded his horizons and covers all sports. You'll find him writing about MLB, NFL, NBA, college football and other Atlanta-centric happenings.
