Met Will down near Piedmont Park shortly before 7 am. Drove up to N Druid Hills and over toward Brookhaven. Parked on Kingsbury and only had to walk 6/10 of a mile to our start group. Will and his friend Zachary started in group N at 7:50. The problem with starting in group T is that all the slowpokes from group Y are always trying to sneak into our group.
Observation: Peachtree runners fall into two groups - (1) those who arrive early, before the 7 am race start. They're able to hear the Star Spangled Banner and jet flyover - and then wait until their time group moseys to the start line. Or (2), the late arrivers, who show up when they can. This morning as my T group walked and stood past Phipps Plaza, a steady stream of runners from various groups passed us as they worked their way to the start line. After years and years as a proud member of the first set, Will and I are becoming more and more members of the second.
We got a little rain while we were waiting to start, but I was able to stand under a tree. By the time my group T arrived at the start line, I was at the front of the group (above left). Took off at 7:08:02. Early on I was running behind a girl wearing an outlandish pink outfit. Didn't realize she started right next to me.
Ran a faster pace than I had when training, running hard for 2 minutes then walking for 30 seconds. The past several years I spent most of the race on the right side of the road, with the slower runners and walkers. This year I spent most of the race on the left. Even then runners constantly are having to weave around the novice walkers paying no heed to the walkers to the right "rule". Sure all the speed demons up in groups A and B can run fast times up ahead of the front of the pack, but the real Peachtree Road Race is in the back, where runners trying to get a good time have to weave left and right for ten kilometers.
And that I did. Ran my fastest mile in years in mile one - under ten minutes (9:54). Mile two wasn't far off the mile one pace (10:13). A nice 60-ish second breather talking to the Whitakers at SPdL, then a great third mile (11:22). My fastest three miles in years and years. Crossed the halfway point in 33:41. Amazing.
Even on the long uphill past Piedmont Hospital, I tried to continue to alternate short bursts of running with walking. Tried to smile and make eye contact with as many Shepherd Spinal patients as possible, and continued my annual custom of securing a pair of Shepherd Spinal sweatbands.
At the top of Cardiac Hill, I resumed my run 2 minutes / walk 30 seconds routine. At the 4 mile mark I stopped at Bellwood Coffee to greet Ceil, MC, Shivonne, Millie, and Willis Norman (below - top). Another 60 second break. Another great split (13:40), considering the long hill and Bellwood break. Will had stopped at Bellwood earlier.
Then back past Pershing Point and the I-85 overpass. Stopped before White Columns to visit with a former retiree who manages a water stop. He had several questions about the office, giving me a 2 minute breather.
The rest of the "race" was pretty much six lanes of wall to wall walkers. I'd pick an opening to run through. Most of the time the lane would remain open for me to run through, but 2 or 3 times the walkers ahead of me would drift together, closing off my path. I had to slam on the brakes and dart left or right.
At each water stop I would grab a cup, take a sip, then pour the rest over my head. By mile two my shorts weren't yet completely wet - only the middle where the water had run down. Not the greatest look. But by the time I made the turn onto 10th Street I was drenched. I'd thought about wearing my old white dri-fit 2006 Peachtree tee, but knew it wouldn't look good wet. Instead I opted for my navy Nike Braves tee. Wore my purple On Cloud Monster running shoes, knowing they would best wick away the moisture. My footy socks did get wet, but for the most part my feet were fine - though usually I wear crew socks. I did wear a small blister on my left heel.
At the 6 mile mark my Apple Watch registered 6.2 miles at a respectable 1:14:27. I finished the remaining 2/10ths of a mile "strong".
As I neared the finish line I maneuvered right, in order to signal the race announcer that this was my 36th Peachtree.
Didn't realize my finish was caught on film. Embarrassing.
My 1:16:06 performance was my fastest 10K time in perhaps a decade.
Will's friend Zachary had run cross country in high school, and wanted to attack the race - including the uphills. Will stuck with Zack the first four miles, then stopped off to see the fam at Bellwood. Zachary quickened his pace and finished in exactly 56 minutes. Incredibly, he ran every mile faster than the one before.
Even with his stop at Bellwood, Will finished in exactly an hour.
Found Will in the park, and we ambled up Virginia Avenue to our car, less than a mile from the finish line. Grabbed a couple of Powerades along the way. Chick-fil-A was pouring peach tea and giving away vouchers for peach milkshakes.
Will drove me back to my car near Lenox. I took 400 to 85 to 75 to Moores Mill and Bolton to meet C at Bellwood Coffee. Visited with M and Joel and Becky Norman. Just missed seeing Catherine Norman, in town visiting from Memphis.
Then C & I took Bolton to 285 and 20 east to Panthersville, to W&MC's friends Zachary & Imani from their church. A nice brunch, with bacon sausage grits cheese fruit and pastries. Then up 285 to Dekalb Farmers Market.
Then through Decatur, left at Agnes Scott, right on Memorial, then 20 west to 285 and Bolton to get my car. Didn't get home until 4 pm.
Usually the Peachtree wears me out, but not quite as bad this year. I'm sure I'll be sore tomorrow.
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