A record 60,000 runners took to the streets of Buckhead and Midtown on Saturday morning for the 57th Peachtree Road Race, the world’s largest 10K and one of Atlanta’s most enduring Independence Day traditions.
The race started under mostly clear skies at Peachtree and Lenox roads at 7:30 a.m., with the field broken into five waves to manage crowding at the start. Runners made their way south through Buckhead and into Midtown before finishing at Piedmont Park, where temperatures were already climbing past 80 degrees by the time the lead pack crossed the line.
“We had ideal weather at the start, and the course was packed,” Atlanta Track Club CEO Rich Kenah said. “The crowd was incredible. The Peachtree is just one of those Atlanta things that you have to experience at least once.”
Runners hailed from all 50 states and 32 countries, with the largest international contingent coming from Mexico, the United Kingdom, and Canada. Roughly 8,000 of the 60,000 entries were first-time Peachtree runners.
Local running clubs were well-represented, including the Atlanta Track Club, the West Stride running group, and the Bigger Than Me Foundation, which had the largest charity team of the day with more than 200 runners raising money for youth running programs.
The Peachtree Junior, a series of kids’ races for ages 7 to 13, kicked off earlier in the morning at Piedmont Park. The Peachtree Junior is open to children of all abilities and uses a staggered-start format to give every runner a fair shot at the finish line.
Race organizers credited a record 2,500 volunteers with keeping the day running smoothly. Hydration stations were set up roughly every mile along the course, and Atlanta’s emergency medical services staged extra ambulances at the finish to respond quickly to any heat-related illnesses.
Virtual runners have until noon Sunday to complete their races and submit results through the Atlanta Track Club app. There is no time limit for virtual participants.
