Spectacular 4th

What a spectacular Fourth of July in Atlanta, and a spectacular Peachtree Road Race 10K!
I've written about this race before. It's the pre-eminent race in Atlanta -- and the world's largest 10K. You get to run it with 60,000 of your closest friends!
Normally, it is hot and humid in Atlanta for this race, bordering on really miserable, but a hurricane named Arthur made this one memorable. The morning was cool and not-quite-so humid. A really lovely running morning!
I was supposed to meet up with my friends Rachel, Mary and Ellie before the race, but logistical errors meant I only saw Ellie, and it was after the race.

American flag at the start

Getting ready to start

 Even though I turned in what I thought was a good time, I was pretty far back in the waves this year, wave N. So I didn't get to start until about 8:30 a.m. I was very happy for a cool and low-humidity start!
The race is really fun, almost a parade if you are too far back, but I love the crowds that come to cheer on the runners.
St. Philips Episcopal Church always sets up its holy water and every year I make sure I get a little sprinkle. Keeps me going for the rest of the year!

Getting blessed during the race

The pastor who blesses the runners every year

Somewhere along the route in Midtown

 This isn't too far from Mile 5, if I'm not mistaken. I should be coming up on the High Museum. What's great about the race is you really get to see what's along Peachtree Road from Buckhead to Midtown. In a car, you are too busy paying attention to all of the other crazy Atlanta drivers!

Runner with flag

You see all kinds of things along the route. There was a brass band (not part of the bands along every mile of the course this year), people in costumes, patients at the Shepherd Spinal Center cheering us on from their wheelchairs, and many, many others.
I grabbed a couple of Rachel's photos, too, because she got some great things that I saw along the course as well.

Rachel and Mary at the start

Rachel on route

I finished with a pretty good time for me. I was pleased. And I felt good all along the course. I guess it is true -- a crappy 5K before a big race means I'll do OK!

Ellie, Dave and me at the finish

 I met up with my co-worker Ellie and her boyfriend Dave at the finish. They had great times, just over an hour, for the race.

Meb Keflezighi on the Peachtree course 

 I'm sorry to say I didn't see Boston Marathon winner Meb Keflezighi on the Peachtree course this year. He started at the back of the pack and tried to pass as many runners as he could for charity. I did have an hour head start on him, but I did hear him speak at the grandstand at the finish. He passed about 22,000 runners/walkers!
In all, it was a spectacular Peachtree and Fourth of July. Wish they could all be like this!

Running the Rails

I've always said a horrible race before a big one means I'm going to do OK on the big race.
I hope that is true, because I did just horrible on the recent Run the Rails 5K in Atlanta.
I ran the race with my friend Rachel, and the course was along the new Atlanta Streetcar rail line, which has not been put into service yet.
The morning was hot and humid, and I hadn't been feeling well all week, so it really is no surprise I didn't do well.
The fun part of this race was, however, the number of folks I ran into who I know! And running downtown is always fun.

Rachel and me before the race. #BeDowntown

At Woodruff Park, the race start

Rachel's a faster runner than me, and I did try to keep up for about the first mile, but I just couldn't. My legs felt like lead. So she continued on and I walked and ran the rest of the way. What's below is a mix of her and my photos.

Rachel along the route

Running through downtown Atlanta

One of the new Atlanta Streetcars

Running through Centennial Olympic Park

Downtown from Centennial Olympic Park

The one good thing about Rachel being a faster runner than me is her being able to get a shot of me coming through the finish line!

Finisher!

Then it was fun running into so many folks I know. Michelle, Walter (whom I used to work with) and others.

Kwanzaa Hall and Rachel

Me, Walter and Rachel -- all once-co-workers!

Wes, Michelle and me

While I might not have felt great for the race, it was great to run this downtown and be part of the celebration of the new Streetcar.

The Equitable Building

Be Downtown

This was supposed to be a once and only race, meaning once the streetcar is operational, they won't be able to host the race again, so it was fun to Run the Rails just this once.