Saturday, July 08, 2006

Running and the Peachtree Road Race & P'tree Jr



Every year since the late ‘60s or early ‘70s on the 4th July in Atlanta has been the Peachtree Road Race. When I ran in it the number of participants was about 25,000. Now it is 50,000. Everybody gets a t-shirt. It is a status center to be sporting the latest Peachtree Road Race t-shirt at local activities of the 4th and the next few days.

The race starts at Lenox Square Mall, way up on Peachtree Road, and runs to 14th Street in midtown, and cut down 14th Street to Piedmont Park to cross the finish at 6.2 miles (10K) and claim your t-shirt.

I raced in it every year from 1982 to 1987. And I had my race number for 1988 but my brother-in-law drowned the day before, so I didn’t go. And I haven’t been back, now my excuse is that I am too old and fat (and ugly).

Now, Rocky runs the race every year. This year he made it in 62 minutes, which is not bad considering it is so crowded you have to walk the first couple of miles.

Adam used to run the Peachtree Junior Road Race, held in Piedmont Park every year a couple weeks before the Peachtree Race. Pictured is Adam on the far left and the two other boys are sons of co-workers of mine then. A few months ago Adam started back running and has lost a noticeable amount of weight.

And the picture of Rocky with his sweat band on – he was probably about to go on his daily run.

1 comment:

kenju said...

Rocky is gorgeous!