Meet Rich Kenah – The Man Tasked With Organizing The Peachtree Road Race!
Getting ready for the Peachtree Road Race? Rich Kenah, The Atlanta’s Track Club Executive Director, goes into detail about what it takes to set up the “World’s Biggest 5K,” how to run the race in extreme heat, and what every runner needs to know about running this race!
Learning to Love Hills
It’s no secret that Atlanta has its fair share of hills. While many people dread them, there’s no need to! Mastering hills will make you a stronger runner – so here are some tips to help you conquer any hill with confidence.
Rise to the Occasion:
Most people are mainly concerned about running uphill. Running on an incline is challenging, but think of the gains you will be making in your fitness instead of how hard it is. Focusing on your form can also help you push through a tough hill. Make sure you:
- Land on the midfoot or forefoot
- Do not lean at the waist; it decreases the power of the hip flexors and knee drive
- Think about running tall and looking up the hill
- Take shorter, quicker steps while driving the hind leg backwards
- Keep your shoulders over the hips
What Goes Up Must Come Down:
While running downhill is less intimidating, it is important to maintain good form. Here are some things to think about:
- Do not overstride or land on the heel; landing on the heels will cause sore shins
- Take quick steps and land with a level foot for the best balance
- Use the arms for balance and engage the core
- Like driving a car, look ahead and not down at your feet
- Lean slightly forward from the ankles keeping the upper body inline or slightly ahead of the legs
- Any time you feel out of control, just lean the shoulders back and it will help slow you down
Try out What You’ve Learned:
If you’re ready to take on a challenge, sign up for the PNC Atlanta 10 Miler or 5K on Sunday, October 22. Both courses start and finish at Atlantic Station. Click here to register online.
Amy Begley
Coach – Atlanta Track Club
Reasons to Look Forward to Football Season
Summer has its hold on Atlanta right now, but there are already so many reasons to look forward to fall! Atlanta Track Club has a few ways to celebrate all things football coming up in the next couple of months, and we hope you will join us.
Kick off College Football Season in Style
Can’t wait until Labor Day Weekend to show off your school pride? Don’t worry, you don’t have to! The Tailgate 5K encourages participants to get out their college gear for race day. This event is free for Atlanta Track Club members and $10 for nonmembers, so it’s an affordable way to get the whole family active. The Tailgate 5K will be held on August 5 at Chastain Park. Register here by August 3.
Get a Close Look at Mercedes-Benz Stadium
The new Mercedes-Benz Stadium will soon welcome its first visitors, and we want you to be among the first to enjoy an on-field experience. Whether you’re an Atlanta Falcons fan, an Atlanta United supporter, or both, you won’t want to miss the Mercedes-Benz Stadium 5K/Walk Like MADD. The event offers a 5K, one mile and 50m dash, so Atlanta sports fanatics young and old can have a one-of-a-kind experience as they finish on the Falcons’ 50-yard line. Participants receive a commemorative shirt and medal. All proceeds benefit Mothers Against Drunk Driving – Georgia. Register here by September 26. Race day is September 30!
Train Hard this Fall
Not a football fan? Lace up and get fit for fall! Atlanta Track Club’s In-Training programs will help you train for the distance of your choosing – a 5K, half marathon or marathon. Our programs welcome all levels, from beginners to those who want to improve their race times. You’ll meet new people and have a lot of fun along the way. Learn more and register here.
By Amy Begley
ATC Coach
Warm Up For The P’Tree Road Race At the Kilometer Kids Charity Chase
Who: Atlanta Track Club and its Kilometer Kids Youth Running Initiative. Kilometer Kids provides a free running curriculum to more than 8,000 kids throughout the state of Georgia.
What: A 48-hour treadmill challenge to raise money to revitalize Cheney Stadium at Phoenix Park in Atlanta. The former site of the 1996 Olympic warm-up track is in need of repair. Atlanta Track Club would like to fund efforts to turn it back into a state-of-the art track and field facility to be used by members of the community as well as a place for Kilometer Kids to run, walk, jump and throw.
Where: Peachtree Health and Fitness Expo, Georgia World Congress Center, Hall C When: Saturday July 1, 6 p.m. thru Monday July 3, 6 p.m. Participants will be asked to sign up in shifts averaging 30 minutes.
Why: Why should you participate in the Kilometer Kids Charity Chase?
- It’s for a good cause! Cheney Stadium is a key part of Atlanta’s Olympic History. Legends like Michael Johnson, Dan O’Brien, Gail Devers and Gwen Torrence used the facility to prepare for their gold medal performances. Atlanta Track Club believes many of our next generation of Olympians live here in the Atlanta area. We also believe that regardless of talent level, free access to world-class facilities helps change the direction of young athletes’ lives.
- It’s free! Participating in the Kilometer Kids Charity Chase is a great opportunity for an individual or brand to be part of the excitement and exposure that comes with the AJC Peachtree Road Race without an activation cost. Participants and their affiliated associations, organizations, brands and/or companies will be visible to the 40,000 estimated attendees of the Peachtree Health and Fitness expo. They will also be recognized and celebrated on platforms including but not limited to:
– Atlanta Track Club Social Media Channels
– AJC Peachtree Road Race Social Media Channels o Press coverage of the event o Livestream of the event o Display screens at Peachtree Health and Fitness Expo.
– It’s a great warm-up for the AJC Peachtree Road Race. Not only do participants get their pre-race run. They also warm-up for the huge crowds on the race course by running for the cheering crowds at the Peachtree Health and Fitness Expo.
What To Look Forward To At the 48th AJC Peachtree Road Race
Even long-time participants of the world’s largest 10K will appreciate changes and enhancements at the start, on the course and in the finish area of this year’s AJC Peachtree Road Race. Here’s what you have to look forward to in 2017:
1) U.S. 10K Championships:
America’s fastest men and women return to Atlanta to compete for the title of U.S. champion. The U.S. 10K Championships were last hosted at Peachtree in 2014. The women’s race features a showdown between household names, Jordan Hasay and Shalane Flanagan. On the men’s side, Olympian Leonard Korir will challenge one of the country’s most decorated runners, Bernard Lagat. Keep an eye on Atlanta’s own pro runners as Atlanta Track Club Elite, kitted in red and black, defend their home turf.
Spectators can catch all the action:
Women’s Start Time: 7:18 a.m.
Men’s Start Time: 7:30 a.m. (with Wave A)
See the lineup and schedule here, and listen to 680 The Fan’s race-day coverage from 6-10 a.m.
2) Kilometer Kids Charity Chase Treadmill Challenge:
The annual Kilometer Kids Charity Chase moves to the Peachtree Health & Fitness Expo. Two teams will compete in a 48-hour treadmill challenge to see who can cover the most distance and raise the most money for Atlanta Track Club’s Kilometer Kids youth running program. Learn more and donate at atlantatrackclub.org.
3) Start line TV screen:
See yourself on the big screen! A giant TV screen will project 11Alive’s race footage, announcements, and your photos. Share your race day experience using #AJCPRR or #peachtreeroadrace for the chance to be featured.
4) Shade in meadow:
After entering the Piedmont Park meadow, finishers can cool off in the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia Shade Zones, making your post-race celebrations even more enjoyable.
5) Ice cold drinks:
In addition to shade, participants will recover faster with ice cold drinks in the finish area. Thanks to refrigerated trucks and new drink coolers, finishers can grab cold Dasani, Powerade and other Coke products in the Piedmont Park meadow.
Good luck to all AJC Peachtree Road Race participants! Have a happy and healthy July 4th.
By Amy Begley
– Coach Atlanta Track Club
NEW: Official Peachtree Road Race Podcast!
Meet Atlanta Track Club Executive Director and AJC Peachtree Road Race Race Director Rich Kenah. Hear from a father-daughter duo taking on the Peachtree for the first time! Get a training tip from Olympian Carrie Tollefson and advice from first-timers and veterans from Olympian Amy Begley. Also, gearing up starts now and we’re not just talking about shoes! Mike Consentino of Big Peach Running Co. joins us to talk about the essentials for any Peachtree participant!
LISTEN HERE!
Feel Like a VIP at SunTrust Park!
The Braves are settling into their new home at SunTrust Park, and Atlanta Track Club is very excited to offer a unique opportunity to see the stadium from the field!
The Braves Country 5K presented by Mizuno allows Braves fans of all ages to feel like a VIP inside the brand new stadium. The event will be held on Saturday, June 10 and includes a 5K (ages 8 and up), One Mile (ages 7 and up) and 50m Dash (ages 6 and under). All 5K and One Mile participants will finish inside SunTrust Park with a special welcome message on the scoreboard!
Each 5K registration includes a ticket to a home game and a Mizuno shirt to commemorate the occasion. All participants and volunteers who choose the game on the day of the event (June 10) are invited to wear their shirts and walk in the pregame parade around the warning track.
Don’t miss the first chance to run inside SunTrust Park. Online registration for the Braves Country 5K is open through June 6 at atlantatrackclub.org.
By Amy Begley – Coach, Atlanta Track Club
Plan Now for Success this Summer
So you’ve registered for the AJC Peachtree Road Race. Congrats on securing a spot in the world’s largest 10K! You’ll be joining 59,999 other runners and walkers at Atlanta’s biggest July 4th party.
Do you have a plan to get you to the start line feeling confident and fit?
If not, now is the time to start planning for your race. There are a few things to keep in mind when taking on the Peachtree – and it doesn’t matter if you are a first-timer or a veteran.
- The hills. The AJC Peachtree Road Race is known for the 12-story climb called Cardiac Hill. And that’s not the only incline on the course. Incorporate hill repeats into your training to make sure you are prepared.
- The weather. If you’ve spent a summer in Atlanta, you know that it can be extremely hot and humid. The Fourth of July is no exception. Make sure you hydrate properly and give your body time to adapt to running in heat.
- The crowds. Because this is the largest road race in the country, you can expect a lot of company on the course. It is important to remember how many other people will be around you when you set your goal. Peachtree can be a tough place to set a personal best.
If you want to make new running buddies while receiving expert advice, you can always join the official training program of the AJC Peachtree Road Race. In-Training for Peachtree is offered at all seven Big Peach Running Co. locations. All ability levels are welcome. We’ll give you a training plan, run with you at our weekly group runs and help you hone your skills with our mid-week practices. Registration is open through Sunday, April 30 at atlantatrackclub.org. Hope to see you there!
Happy training!
– Amy Begley – Coach, Atlanta Track Club
Don’t Miss Out On An Atlanta Tradition!
With the mild temperatures we’ve been experiencing this winter, summer doesn’t feel so far away – and it’s not! If you want to be part of Atlanta’s largest Fourth of July tradition, you have to start planning now.
The AJC Peachtree Road Race is the world’s largest 10K, and it happens right here in Atlanta on Independence Day. Every year 60,000 people run and walk from Buckhead to Piedmont Park, where they receive the coveted finisher’s T-shirt you only get one if you cross that finish line. It’s a great way to start your Fourth of July celebrations with your friends and family.
Every Atlantan should experience the AJC Peachtree Road Race at least once. This event brings in everyone from elite runners to first-time walkers, 10 year olds to those in their 90s. There is a place for everyone at Peachtree, and even an official training program to get you ready for the big day!
So how you can you claim your spot at this year’s event? Participants are selected through an online lottery. Here’s what you need to do:
- Mark your calendars. Lottery registration for the AJC Peachtree Road Race is open March 15 through 11:59 p.m. on March 22.
- Register at com/peachtree. (And tell all your friends to register as well!) You can even sign up at our kickoff event at Big Peach Running Co. on March 15 from 6-8 p.m. We will have prizes, refreshments and more.
- Watch your email. You will find out whether or not you were selected by March 25.
- If you were selected – train! In-Training for Peachtree is the official training program of the AJC Peachtree Road Race and welcomes all levels of runners and walkers. You can register for the program at org.
Don’t miss out on the 48th running of this Atlanta tradition. Register for the lottery and start the Independence Day holiday off with a celebration of health and fitness. Good luck!
– Amy Begley, Atlanta Track Club Coach
USA 10K Champions To Be Crowned In Atlanta On July 4th
Independence Day here in Atlanta just got even more exciting! We will once again get to see top American distance runners battle it out for a championship title on our roads.
While the AJC Peachtree Road Race draws running talent from around the world every year, the USA 10K Championships are returning to Atlanta in 2017. Elite runners from across the country will be competing for the title and prize money on the same course as the 60,000 Peachtree participants of the world’s largest 10K.
It’s not the first time Peachtree has brought this contest to Atlanta: This will be the sixth time the AJC Peachtree Road Race has hosted the men’s USA 10K Championships and the third time to host the women’s race. Both championships were most recently held here in 2013 and 2014.
Why is this exciting? Running is the only sport where you can participate at the same time as the professionals. Your favorite pro team probably wouldn’t want you to show up on their field or court while they’re playing, but it’s different in running. At Peachtree, we welcome all abilities – from elite runners to those just taking their first steps towards fitness.
So how can you get in on the fun? Enter the lottery for the AJC Peachtree Road Race in March. Lottery registration will be open between March 15-22 at AJC.com/peachtree, and we will announce those selected to participate by March 25.
Not only can you run with the pro athletes – you can train with them, too! Atlanta Track Club’s In-Training for Peachtree program will be held at seven Big Peach Running Co. locations from April to July. Atlanta Track Club Elite athletes will be at each location and will also be toeing the line with you July 4th. I may not be able to be at each location each week, but my athletes will be. We’d love to spend the holiday with you!
By Amy Begley
Coach, Atlanta Track Club
