Atlanta Running: Falling in Love with the 10K

I love running neighborhood races. I discover streets and running routes while helping out a local cause. But my focus on races had been 5Ks and the Georgia Half-Marathon. 10Ks? Never gave them serious consideration. In fact, the last 10K I ran was nearly a decade ago at the Peachtree.

So I decided to give the 10K another try. Last Sunday I ran a new race, the Intown 10K. The route traveled through one of my favorite running neighborhoods – Virginia-Highland. Race Director Ed Williams delivered a great event. Enough people to feel like a race but not too many to crowd the street. A picturesque, winding route. Easy parking. A comfy, long-sleeve T-shirt.

And I loved the distance. I forgot how much fun a 10K is to run. Over the past few years, my winter running was dedicated to training for the half-marathon distance. This year, I wasn’t in the mood to train. The 10K event is a great option to get a decent weekend run without the need to actually train for it.

While 5K events dominate the spring racing schedule, there are a few 10K races to consider:

Hoppin’ Easter Half Marathon/5K/10K – April 8
This race takes places in Snellville along a bike path in a scenic park. Registration is available at Active.com. Find more information at the event web site.

Spring K Classic 5K & 10K Run – April 14
Hosted by the Historic Roswell Kiwanis Club, the race benefits children and youth projects undertaken by the club. Sign-up before April 1 to avoid an increase in the race fee. Register online at Active.com.

NCR Spring for Cancer 5K, 10K and Fun Run – April 21
Lace up your running shoes for this Sandy Springs event. Proceeds benefit Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Bring your strollers and dogs - this race is family and pet friendly. More information is available at the event site.

Peachtree Road Race: Etiquette Tips for Running with the Crowd

The Peachtree Road Race prides itself in being the largest 10K race in the world. This year’s event will welcome 60,000 participants to the starting line. Running with that many people coupled with Atlanta’s infamous mixture of heat and humidity can make it a challenge to keep your cool during the race.

The July issue of Runner’s World offered some useful (and hilarious) tips for keeping your behavior respectable during a road race event:

• Alert other runners before you pass: If you plan to pass runners on the road, give a shout out (e.g. “passing on your left”) before making your move. Doing so will help avoid awkward collisions with other runners.


• Don’t run more than two abreast: I’ve seen it before at the Peachtree – groups of people holding hands while running. What they don’t always realize is they are blocking the route for other runners to pass. Don’t be one of these people.


• Look before you expel: This is a funny, but good tip. Watch where you spit or blow. Nobody wants to be the “landing strip” for what you’ve hurled.


• If you have to stop, move out of the way first: When grabbing a cup of water or tying your shoe, move to the side of the street and avoid becoming a road block for other runners.


• Don’t be a litter bug: Try to toss your water cups and other trash in garbage cans along the race course. If you must toss on the ground, watch out for other runners first.


• Deodorant yes; cologne no: Be respectful of those around you and save the cologne or perfume for your “after race” shower. It’s no fun running behind a toxic aroma of sweat and cologne.


• Smile: Yes, it’s hot and humid. But you signed up for the race to have a good time. Make the most of it by wearing a smile. You’ll feel better and so will the other runners around you.
  

The Atlanta Track Club blog offers some great advice for staying hydrated during a run. Be sure to check it out before hitting the race course on Monday.

Mother Nature Gives Peachtree Road Race Runners a Break from the Heat

The biggest news at this year’s Peachtree Road Race was the cooler weather that welcomed the race participants. The temperature was near the high 60s at the start time, giving runners a refreshing break from the sweltering heat that Atlanta had been experiencing. The event is one of those great Atlanta traditions that welcomes runners (and walkers) of all levels to celebrate their achievements and our country’s birthday. It’s been several years since I last ran the Peachtree Road Race, but I appreciate the camaraderie it instills among Atlanta’s running community. According to Runner’s World, more than 3,000 people run Peachtree-themed 10Ks in Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan.

This year’s participants shared their experiences and PRs on Facebook and Twitter. Fortunately, the race did not see a repeat of the cheating claims that dominated discussions at last year’s event. While I didn’t join the 55,000 racers on Peachtree, I did run my own version of a 10K on Sunday morning. Looking for a good intown 10K route to run? Here are a few to consider:

· Decatur to Druid Hills
· Weststride and Westminister Neighborhoods
· Candler Park to Piedmont to Beltline

To find more options on running routes, check out WalkJogRun.net for dozens of intown courses.

What it Takes to Organize a Company Team for the Peachtree 10K

I work at UPS, which has fielded a team of runners for the Peachtree Road Race for the past 10 years. We’re a big company and more than 1,000 employees and their family members sign up to run the race together.

I was curious to learn more about what’s involved. So, I spent some time chatting with my friend and colleague Phil Mittenzwei. Phil, along with Pat Kramb and Andra Ozolins, comprise the UPS Peachtree Road Race Committee.

Planning for the race kicks off in January where the committee talks through logistics. As part of UPS’s sponsorship, employees and family members are offered early registration for the race. Along with coordinating registration, the committee produces team T-shirts, organizes food, drinks and volunteers for the hospitality tent. One of the highlights is driving a UPS truck (known as a “package car” by UPSers) to Costco to pick-up hospitality supplies. The biggest task? That would be distributing team T-shirts to more than 1,000 employees. Phil orders extra shirts to sell at UPS as a United Way fundraiser.

This will be Phil’s 19th year running the Peachtree. It’s become an annual tradition that he enjoys celebrating with fellow Atlantans. Each year, Phil’s wife cheers from the same spot on 14th Street where he stops to give her a kiss.

While planning the UPS sponsorship and race team is a big undertaking, it’s an opportunity that Phil and the committee members eagerly anticipate each year. As a fellow UPSer, I say “Go Team!”

Yeah, it's Hot. But There are Summer Races to Run in Atlanta

The temperature is raising but that’s no reason to skip out on lots of neighborhood races around town. Here are a few to check out:

Magnolia Run – June 12
In its 27th year, this race raises awareness and funds for the Epilepsy Foundation of Georgia. Conveniently located at the Perimeter Mall, the race includes 4-mile and 1-mile fun run. Registration is available online at active.com or at Fleet Feet stores in Sandy Springs and Duluth.

Run4Dad 5K – June 19
During Father’s Day weekend why not run a race in honor of dads? This Sandy Springs event includes a 5K race and 1-mile walk. Proceeds benefit prostate cancer and local support groups of the Men’s Health & Wellness Center.

Beltline 5K – June 26
Help celebrate the opening of the Beltline trail in Southwest Atlanta. An added bonus – this is a free race. The run starts at Rose Circle Park and ends at Kipp Strive Academy. Registration is available at active.com.


Peachtree Road Race – July 4
Registration for the mother of all Atlanta races closed months ago. If you’re not running it, you can still join the celebration by cheering on the 55,000+ people racing. Hit Piedmont Park afterwards to party with the race participants.

AIDS Faith Walk + 5K Run – July 5
Didn’t register in time for the Peachtree? Here’s a local event in South Atlanta that aims to raise awareness, hope and funds for AIDS. Changing A Generation Full Gospel Baptist Church hosts the event. This is a race that’s sure to uplift your spirit. Register at the event site.

Clyde’s Run – July 17
People organize road races to support a variety of causes. Clyde’s Run honors the memory of Clyde Mays, who suffered from a rare genetic condition. The race takes place at Mountain Park, GA, located near Roswell. Proceeds benefit the Prader-Willi Syndrome Foundation. Registration information is available at the race site.

Claims of Cheating at the Peachtree Road Race

The AJC published two separate stories this week concerning allocations of cheating at this year’s Peachtree Road Race. In Mark Bradley’s column, he complained about seeing 2 women with high seed numbers who passed the 2-mile mark before the elite runners – a clear sign they started the race past the official starting line. Bradley’s point – why participate if you’re not going to run fairly. The column attracted nearly 200 comments on ajc.com; an indication that Bradley hit on a sore point with a lot of runners. Some of the comments expressed amazement at the number of “runners” they saw waiting at the side of the road to jump onto the course.

Yesterday’s front page featured a story about the disqualification of elite runner Tadese Tola over claims he deliberately elbowed another runner to finish fourth in the race. While I haven’t seen the video of his alleged misconduct, the photo in the AJC does show him tangled with runner Boaz Chebolywo near the finish line.

With 55,000 runners, it’s not surprising to me that issues of unsportsmanlike conduct would occur. However, I agree with Bradley and the comments at his column – why run a race if you don’t run the entire race? In the end, you’re just cheating yourself from achieving a true sense of accomplishment.

This week’s route is the course from the Peachtree Road Race. Click here for map.

· Start at the intersection of Peachtree and Lenox
· Follow Peachtree for approximately 5 ½ miles
· Turn left on 10th Street
· Finish at Piedmont Park

Peachtree Road Race: 55,000 Runners hit the Streets of Buckhead & Midtown

That grand old southern event, the Peachtree Road Race, celebrates 40 years of great running. For many local runners, it’s a traditional start to 4th of July festivities. The race starts at Atlanta’s most popular shopping district – at the corner of Lenox and Peachtree Roads.

Elite runners start at 7:30 a.m. while the last group of runners hit the road just before 9:00 a.m. Given our recent burst of summer humidity, it’s gonna feel hot out that at the starting line. But no need to worry since there will be plenty of water stations and bands along the route to keep runners moving.

Not into running the race? Join the thousands of spectators along the course to cheer on the runners. The Atlanta Track Club’s race site lists locations for viewing the event.

Thanks to the end of our multi-year drought, the finish line is back at Piedmont Park. Local runners that I’ve talked to are thrilled to return to the race’s long-established route.

Good luck runners!