ATLANTA — Runners, lace up those shoes! Registration is about to close, and excitement is gearing up for the annual Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race.
Registration closes on Saturday, June 15, at midnight. For members of the Atlanta Track Club, the fee is $45 and for nonmembers, it's $75.
11Alive spoke with Rich Kenah, the CEO of Atlanta Track Club and Director of the AJC Peachtree Road Race.
"It's a labor of love for us," he said. "We're calling ourselves the party of the Summer."
Kenah addressed the local legacy the July 4 marathon leaves on the metropolitan area each year.
"So there are road races around the world that are iconic and known, like the New York City Marathon and the Boston Marathon. But, the Peachtree is more than a race. It's the world's largest 10K, but it's the world's largest running party," he added.
With the Olympic trials right around the corner, some runners might notice some top international athletes in the crowd. Kenah said they will be doing something different this year to showcase the professional runners.
"We're a point-to-point course, and people never get the opportunity to see the best of the best athletes. So we're going to introduce them from the back of the field and have them run up to the start line. So, you get an opportunity to give them a high five as they chase that course record," he added.
According to the director, people from all over the country and nearly 30 other countries will be running in AJC Peachtree Road Race. It also brings Georgians together in a "largely local phenomenon."
"We hope to eclipse 50,000 participants. So that'll be the largest Peachtree we've had since the 50th running back in 2019," Kenah said.
He added that once you have registered, you will receive an email with an invite link to invite your friends to register. Once they register, you can get an opportunity to win prizes like the iconic shoes and more.