Runs 4 fun

The Peachtree Road Race is just over and just when you think you are done with longer distance racing, the Decatur DeKalb 4 Miler comes along just a week and a half after July 4.
This is another free Atlanta Track Club race and this year, since it takes place so close to Tucker, the Tucker Running Club was out in full force.
We were also honoring the memory of a Tucker Running Club member, Janet, who was hit and killed by a car while she was running along the sidewalk shortly after this race last year.

Tucker Running Club before the race

I ran the race with my friend Natasha, who is doing heart-rate training. That means she runs a slow, steady pace as she works to build her endurance. It was great to run it with her. I even met two of Natasha's Black Girls Run running buddies, Letitia and Rhonda, and both of them joined Tucker Running Club, too!

Natasha, me, Letitia and Rhonda at the start

This race is hot and hilly, but then, I seem to say that about all races in metro Atlanta in the summer. I like that this one is so close to my house. Always nice to do a neighborhood race.

We finished!

I know it is hot now, and come January when I am standing at the start of the Resolution Run in 29 degree temps, I'll look back on this race fondly. After all, I run 4 fun.

A peach of a Peachtree

One of Atlanta's biggest running events did not disappoint this July 4, but perhaps it was because I ran it with one of my good running buddies.
My friend Angela moved to California late last year, but returned to Atlanta to run the 49th Peachtree Road Race. We had such fun!

Getting our race numbers

 Angela arrived at my house the day before the race, so we were quickly off to the race expo to get our numbers. The great thing about waiting until the expo is nearly over is we got lots of free goodies from vendors who were disinclined to haul boxes of samples back to their trucks! I think I have enough sports beans to last me several races!

Finding my name on the wall

 Atlanta Track Club has begun a tradition of a wall of participant names at the expo, so it is fun to find your name. Last year,  Angela couldn't find hers because her name cut off on the end of the long poster sheet. She found it this year (although the names were not exactly in alphabetical order, making finding your name even that much more of a challenge!)

Flat Lisa (and Felix)

We got our gear ready for the next morning the night before. As you can see from above, Felix supervised my outfit.

Flat Angela

We were up bright and early to catch the MARTA train to the start. This year, ATC started the race at 7 a.m., rather than 7:30 a.m. Honestly, it is for the best. It gets so blasted hot that if you are back in the final waves, it could be close to 90 degrees when you start!
Arrived at the MARTA station to run into my friend Julie, as well. Always fun to run into friends on the way!

Me, Julie and Angela, crammed on a MARTA train!

Always thrilling to see the giant flag at the start line!

 Even though we got to MARTA in plenty of time, and had time to use the Porto Potties before the start, we were very late to get to our start wave, thanks to some poor directional signs. We got to our wave start within second of it going, so we were at the back of the wave.

Here we go!

What fun to run into Baton Bob at the side of Peachtree in Buckhead! I would see him all  the time when I worked in Buckhead, so it was like seeing an old friend during the race!

Baton Bob

 Baton Bob is a local character. He has the most amazing outfits and he marches up and down Peachtree Street every day with  his baton and whistle. I could always hear him coming from my window at my office. I miss seeing him! He'd have Christmas costumes, Halloween costumes, Valentine's Day costumes. I like his fiery costume for July 4!

"Baton" Bob Jamerson

Costumed runners dressed as MARTA trains

 We came up on the Fur Bus in Buckhead and I saw runners dressed as MARTA trains. I thought they were just up on the Fur Bus, but it turns out they really were costumed runners and continued on with the race. I found that out when I saw the TV broadcast of the race later July 4 evening.

Dana, Michelle, Angela and me

I love running into more running buddies, who this year were on the sidelines cheering us on! Stopped to see Dana and Michelle, who offered up some cold beverages, cherries, donuts, etc. It was great to see them! Hopefully, I'll see them at the start line with me soon.
Angela and I finished our race and made our way over to the ATC post-party pavilion, where I ran into Tucker Running Club friends.

Tucker Running Club peeps

 Later July 4, we had a cookout with friends Susan and Carolyn (and Donna and Karen, who did not run the race this year), so we finishers got a photo of us in our shirts.

The finishers!

The Peachtree Road Race shirt is the coveted prize to the 10K. Each year everyone votes on the winning design among five finalists and the winning design is kept secret until one crosses the finish line and is handed the shirt. This wasn't the design I voted for, but it is nice. I've got some that I have to wonder why everyone was voting for that one!

Getting our waffle on

To round out our July 4 celebration, Angela and I actually went to Waffle House the next morning to cash in our free waffle. Every year finishers get a coupon for a free waffle in the finisher's bag, but I usually give mine away. After eating at Waffle House this year, I'll be giving it away forever more! LOL Not my kind of greasy food.
Such a fun time to visit with Angela and run a favorite race. Next year will be the 50th running of the Peachtree Road Race. I hope Angela will be running it with me again!