The BibRave 100 #1 10K 2017 – AJC Peachtree Road Race

We’re excited to feature our top races from The BibRave 100 – the top races in the U.S.! This week we highlight our #1 10K!

Race: AJC Peachtree Road Race

Location: Atlanta, GA

Race Date: 7/4/2018

Our BibRave 100 mascot, Benjamin 🦁, asked each race a few questions about their event. Here’s Benjamin’s Fast Four!

1. Tell us a little about your race and the experience a runner can expect.

This year is the 49^th running of the AJC Peachtree Road Race. The Peachtree is the world’s largest 10K and a Fourth of July tradition in Atlanta. Atlanta Track Club, our event sponsors, our organizing committee, the City of Atlanta, and more than 3,500 dedicated volunteers have been working hard to make this year’s event unforgettable for all 60,000 participants!

The AJC Peachtree Road Race traditionally draws the best known elite runners from around the world to compete in Atlanta. This year there will again be a special focus on American distance runners as the Peachtree hosts the USATF 10km Championships. The male and female winner of the 2018 AJC Peachtree Road Race will not only earn a spot on the Peachtree Cup, but also the title of National Champion and a winner’s check for $10,000.

Packet Pick-Up Experience

You can choose to have your race number mailed to you or you can pick it up at the Peachtree Health & Fitness Expo on July 2 and 3 at the Georgia World Congress Center. The 2018 Peachtree Health & Fitness Expo is the perfect opportunity to kick off your Peachtree festivities. The Expo hosts 100+ vendors featuring the latest in running apparel, shoes, gear, sports nutrition products, injury prevention, health and fitness services, and much more!

Highlights include:
- Official AJC Peachtree Road Race merchandise by Mizuno
- Long jump, high jump, shot put and timed 40-yard dash in the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia Family Fitness Zone
- Free samples from CLIF Bar, Coca-Cola, Waffle House,Gene ration UCAN and sport nutrition-related food and beverage vendors
- 18-month membership offer from Atlanta Track Club, complete with guaranteed entry into next year’s 50^th AJC Peachtree Road Race
- Interactive areas from Atlanta United, Atlanta Hawks, Atlanta Falcons and Springfree Trampoline
- Special appearances by the Atlanta Braves Heavy Hitters and Tomahawk Team as well as the Home Depot Tool mascots

Course Details

The 6.2-mile course starts at Lenox Square and heads south on Peachtree Street through Buckhead. Just before Mile 3 begins the infamous Cardiac Hill, the mile stretch of the course that rises more than 12 stories in less than a mile. Participants continue on to the corners of Midtown, make a left on 10^th Street, and finish in Atlanta’s iconic green space, Piedmont Park.

Not only is the course lined with hundreds of thousands of spectators cheering participants on every step of the way, but there also is music featured along each mile to add to the excitement as participants make their way down Peachtree.

Mile 1 – Newsradio

Mile 2 – OG 97.9

Mile 3 – Rock 100.5

Mile 4 – Kicks 101.5

Mile 5 – Norfolk Southern Lawmen

Mile 6 – Q100

Spectator Suggestions By the Mile

AJC start line — AJC Peachtree Road Race

Mile One – The place where it all starts – the center of Buckhead shopping. If you’re watching the race in this part of town, you’ll get to see the monstrous start crowds. Cool your heels while your friends line up for the start by having a bagel and java at a local coffee house or scope out all the luxury shopping you can do later.

Mile Two – Top recommendations for getting the true crowd feel is watching the race where W. Paces Ferry, Peachtree and Roswell Road meet. Further down Mile Two, you’ll find The Cathedral of St. Philip (2744 Peachtree Road) which is known for hosting race day events. See Dean Sam Candler sprinkle the runners with “holy water.”

Mile Three – Shop and watch! Good locations in Mile Three for watching the race are at the Peachtree Battle Shopping Center and at Piedmont Hospital, where music is playing and runners are conquering Cardiac Hill.

Mile Four – In Mile Four it’s all about the business of getting down the course toward the finish and recovering from the workout of Cardiac Hill. This section attracts spectators from the surrounding residential areas, and some from the local dining & beverage establishments.

AJC flag — Race Excitement with Patriotic Flare

Mile Five – This is where it really becomes a spectator sport – in the section after Peachtree crosses I-85 heading south toward Woodruff Arts Center and the restaurants of Colony Square and Midtown.

Mile Six (and the .2) – Positioned here, you can watch all the race excitement and still walk to the family meeting area in the meadow at Piedmont Park, to congratulate family and friends on their accomplishment. The corner of Peachtree and 10^th Street is a very popular area for race watching and festivities. As you head to the park, there are a number of shaded areas for watching the race, as well as numerous trendy Midtown restaurants where you can sit on your duff and enjoy the race.

Post-Race Experience

Shortly after you cross the finish line you will receive a chilled bottle of Dasani water and a Fitful food box courtesy of Whole Foods Market and CLIF Bar. Outside the finish chute, be sure to pick up fresh fruit, also provided by Whole Foods Market, before making your way to 10th St., where you will find chilled POWERADE and other Coca-Cola products.

Once you cross the finish line you’ll also receive the most coveted t-shirt in all of Atlanta. One of the most celebrated aspects of the AJC Peachtree Road Race, the race shirt began at the second running of the race in 1971. Limited to only the top finishers in the early years, students, professional designers, and amateur creatives have entered the contest since 1995 in hopes of having their artwork be the one that graces the front of the 60,000 shirts. Public voting determines the winning design, which is not revealed until the first finisher crosses the AJC Peachtree Road Race finish line!

The race itself holds a slightly different meaning and significance for every one of us, but one common thread that runs throughout is the patriotism, tradition and sense of community that it brings to Atlanta on July 4th each year. The T-shirt Design Contest offers an opportunity for entrants to provide a visual representation of their interpretation of the race. The five finalists for 2018 were chosen in early February among all of the design submissions by a panel of judges. While each design is different, they all provide a symbolic tribute to the race. The winning designer receives $1000, and the four runners up, $100 each.

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After getting your fuel, refreshments, and shirt, celebrate your accomplishment with family and friends in Piedmont Park. Check out the activities and samples provided by our sponsors. The main stage will feature music and a DJ, as well as our awards ceremony.

Need a place to escape the sun or the rain (hopefully, not the rain)? Look for the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia Shade and Shelter tents in the meadow!

Make sure to get your picture taken by MarathonFoto! Look for the MarathonFoto photographers, who will be capturing your official post-race memories. Photos will be available within one week of the event at marathonfoto.com, and registered participants will also receive an email alerting them to when their race photos are ready.

If you are an Atlanta Track Club Member (we are a 29,000 member organization), stop by Park Tavern and join us for our member recovery area! Light post-event snacks will be provided to members of all ages. Members over 21 can also enjoy a complimentary Yuengling Light Lager! And, 680 the Fan will be broadcasting live from the member area.

2. What’s new for 2018?

Start Time Change

We realize the July weather isn’t getting any cooler in Atlanta. To create an even safer experience for all participants, this year’s AJC Peachtree Road Race will begin thirty minutes earlier than it has in recent years.

Top 1000 Mugs Change

The AJC Peachtree Road Race is celebrating the top female finishers like never before! Beginning in 2018, the first 500 men and the first 500 women will receive a coveted top finisher mug. Details on distribution coming soon!

The AJC Peachtree Road Race is almost evenly split between men and women participants. However the Top 1000 mugs have historically been distributed to 88% men and 12% women. We feel that this awards program should equally recognize the athleticism of the female participants and we hope this change is a step toward doing so.

Commemorative Military Bib

Active duty members of the armed forces as well as reservists, National Guard and military veterans will be honored and celebrated by a commemorative race number design available exclusively to servicemen and women. The design pays tribute to the stars and stripes of the American flag. It will be issued to those who identify as military members during registration for the AJC Peachtree Road Race.

2019 will be the 50^th AJC Peachtree Road Race – many large and exciting plans to come!!!

3. Share some highlights from your city or region. What must-see things should runners plan to do in your race city (i.e. sites, restaurants, etc.)?