ATLANTA — Runners, tie up your laces and get your eye on the finish line -- it's time to start thinking about the annual Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race.
Registration for the 55th AJC Peachtree Road Race, "The Party of the Summer," opens for Atlanta Track Club members at 7 a.m. on Friday, March 1, according to a release by the organization. For decades, the road race has been a summertime favorite in Atlanta, where runners and walkers from all over come to The Peach State to kick off their Fourth of July holiday.
Members will receive guaranteed entry to the race for $45, which is the lowest price available. They will also get guaranteed placement into Waves A through M and free entry into the post-race member party at Park Tavern. Membership is available here.
In addition, a new perk this year is that members who've registered for the race will have one week from March 8 through March 14 to invite their friends and family to register for the race at a discounted rate of $50.
Registration for members will also continue that week. The member who has gathered the most registrants to the race will receive a top prize. The Atlanta Track Club will have a real-time leaderboard for this online.
Race Director and CEO of Atlanta Track Club, Rich Kenah, said this year's race will be the biggest running and walking party since the 50th anniversary.
"Coming off a sold-out 2024 Publix Atlanta Marathon, it's clear that the intersection of running and community in Atlanta is as strong as its ever been," Kenah said. "Running City USA is counting the days till the Fourth -- and registering early isn't just the best way, it's the only way to ensure getting in on the fun."
Voting for this year's T-Shirt Design Contest winner will also be launching on March 1. According to the Atlanta Track Club, the winner's creation will become a "treasured addition to the wardrobes of the race's 50,000 expected finishers.
Voting will be open online from March 1 through March 31. According to the Atlanta Track Club, each design "endeavors to embody the spirit of Atlanta and its iconic Independence Day event, the largest road race in the country and largest 10K in the world." The winning design will be kept secret until the first runner crosses the finish line.
Vying for the prize are five finalists who were chosen from 333 entries by a panel of judges from the Atlanta Track Club and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The finalists are:
- Nick Turbo Benson, 38, of Decatur
- McKenzie Holtzclaw, 29, of Roswell
- Cece Page, 29, of Atlanta
- Sanitha Phansavanh, 43, of Decatur
- Russ Van, 37, of Atlanta
To preview the designs, visit here.
The contest first began in 1995 and the winner has usually been awarded a first-place prize of $1,000. However, in honor of the 55th year, the prize has been increased to $5,500. The runner-up will get $3,500, and the person in third place will receive $2,500.
Overall, registration will be open to the public on March 15 and will close when the capacity of 50,000 is reached. Non-members have to pay $55 at the outset of registration, and the price will continue to increase as the race day nears, the organization said.