Today I ran the Peachtree Road Race 10K in Atlanta, GA.
The Atlanta Track Club puts on such an amazing event. With help from the Atlanta Journal and Constitution and all the other major corp.s here in Atlanta. 55,000 runners take off from 9 time groups. The first two are seeded runners who move fast, many are imported from Kenya and other major running countries.
The race runs from Lennox/Buckhead (the social upper class area) down to Piedmont Park in Midtown (the cultural and bohemian area) – Peachtree is a very long and interesting road. It is pretty much Altanta. Anyway – every mile has a band, with many radio stations inbetween. People are already drinking beer and eating donuts at race start 7:30AM. Kids slap your hand and volunteers give you water along the way. It is an event.
The start was amazing – we are all in our pens, each time group. I was in 1A since I had submitted my Cartersville Race time of 46. We started at start time (2,3,4, etc all start at segmented times after) but I didn’t cross the start line for 50 seconds. I was given a “chip” for my shoe so I had an accurate time in the end. The start is crazy though. Helicopters over head make it so loud, music blasting it is like a war zone. We take off and the pack is pretty tight. I ran an 8 minute first mile and I was surprised. The second and third were about 7:30 – then I hit the wall at mile 4. The big hill (I think they call it cardiac) hit me hard. All the time off I have taken from running due to my knee injury really impacted my wind. Amazingly I didn’t have a lot of pain in my knee. By mile 5 my body was cramping. I’m struggling and saying – when will this end. Then Mile 6 I opened up and felt much better, giving in to a decent pace but not too fast. I think that last mile I ran around 8 minutes.
2005 PRR Men 1001-1500
Place Name Age City Time Actual Time
1120 JAMES A. CHARANIS 39 ATLANTA GA 50:55 50:09
But overall including women and masters:
2532 JAMES A. CHARANIS ATLANTA GA 50:55 50:09
The race ended in the park. The sponsors weren’t as generous this year. Got some PowerAid and Water. No Bananas or good stuff. I ran into a few friends then jumped on MARTA (the train) and went back to my car parked up north. Took a little nap after a hot bath and ice on my knee. Then onto the bar-b-q with friends and neighborhood fireworks.
Next I get my knee fixed and back to real running!
