The sons of Tim Singleton, who founded The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race in 1970 and died last year, honored him in a fitting way during Friday’s race.
Tim Singleton Jr. carried some of his father’s remains in a half-dollar sized golden container. When Tim Jr. reached the finish line, he opened the small vessel and let the ashes blow onto the blue Finish Line strip.
“One last tribute to you,” Tim Jr. said as he was videoed.
Singleton died at age 76 last year in Piedmont Hospital, located at the Cardiac Hill portion of the course. Tim Jr. said that while runners enjoyed the race he founded, he was fighting for his life in the hospital’s cardiac wing, clinging to the belief that he would one day compete in another Peachtree Road Race.
It was then that the sons began discussing how to honor their father.
“We’ve been saving ashes for this kind of occasion,” said Greg, the official starter for the race.
Tim Jr. and Greg participated in that first race. Tim, who was 8, helped out by filling out index cards with the numbers of the racers and handing them out at the finish line.
Greg, who was 6, held one end of a piece of a string that served as the finish line.
Greg didn’t run on Friday because of a calf injury, but did walk the course with his 15-year-old son, who participated in the race for the first time.
“Want him to have a taste of what the Peachtree is like,” he said.
Tim Jr. said he plans to come back and run.
It seemed Tim Singleton was looking down on Friday’s race.
“Dad ordered up perfect weather,” Tim Jr. said.
