It's almost time to run The Peachtree. Do you have your number yet? And do you know your start wave? If you have not picked up your race number for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race, today is the day to do it before 7 p.m.
Be sure to pick up your race number
The pickup spot is The Peachtree Health and Fitness Expo will be held at the Georgia World Congress Center on July 2 (11 a.m.- 8 p.m.) and July 3 (10 a.m.-7 p.m.). You can also get last-minute information about the race and talk to running and fitness vendors and organizations. When you get your number, you also will find out your start wave. (And that's important to know, if you are a newbie to the Peachtree.)
Advice for spectators
This year's The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race is expected to draw about 150,000 people to sidewalks of Peachtree Road and 10th Street near Piedmont Park. If you're among the crowd on hand to watch the world's largest 10K race, your best bet is to arrive early to pick your spot. The Atlanta Track Club recommends finding a place where you can obtain refreshments, enjoy the shade and find a good view of the course. If you can't walk or bike to the viewing spot, please take MARTA. It's a 6-mile course from Lenox Square to Piedmont Park. Check our mile-by-mile AJC PRR spectator guide to decide where you want to be.
Advice for racers (of all speeds)
If you are one of the 60,000 people who will participate in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race, here are some training tips provided by Atlanta Track Club and Reebok Training spokeswoman Carrie Tollefson.
Fuel properly
Pay attention to what you are eating and drinking. Eat a well-balanced diet. Stay hydrated, carry a water bottle around with you all day, next to your desk, and be self-conscious of how often you are using the bathroom. Avoid high-sodium foods.
Taper
Reduce your activity level to allow your muscles to rest and recover in preparation for race day. The suggested amount of taper time for a 10K is three to five days.
If you have been procrastinating this training season, be realistic about your race-day goal. If you haven’t been training, don’t try for your personal best. Just run or walk the race, take time to enjoy all the sights and sounds of the course.
Take MARTA
There is no parking at the start or finish of the race, unless you have really excellent connections. Take the MARTA rail to the Lenox Station on the Gold Line. Trains will be running at 5 a.m. The Track Club says runners should not take MARTA to the Buckhead station. It is not set up to handle the large numbers of people that will be arriving in the start area. And if you tend to arrive late, it may be impossible to reach the starting line once the wheelchair and footraces begin.
RELATED:
Key start times (from The Atlanta Track Club):
- The wheelchair race begins at 6:45 a.m.
- The women's professional division begins at 7:17 a.m.
- The men's professional division and the footrace begins at 7:30 a.m.
- View the start map and wave start times here.
AJC will post race results on Friday. Visit ajc.com or the AJC Peachtree Road Race page
Follow AJC on Twitter (@ajc) or Facebook for updates, including the first sighting of the 2014 AJC Peachtree Road Race T-Shirt.
AJC Peachtree Road Race: How to run with 60,000 friends
An educated runner is much less likely to get in trouble.That is the bottom line that Dr. Joe Wilson preaches to first-time Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race runners and to veteran runners as well. Read his advice.
Fireworks, parades, July 4 fun
Some fireworks shows are scheduled for July 3, and there are plenty of things to do all weekend to celebrate July 4 in Atlanta. Check our editor's picks for things to do in Atlanta this weekend.
More about the AJC Peachtree Road Race: Main page | Latest articles, including road closings | AJC Peachtree Photos
About the Author
