POLK COUNTY, Ga. — The 56th annual AJC Peachtree Road Race is just a bit over a day away and more than 50,000 people are about to lace up their running shoes.
Channel 2’s Berndt Petersen met up with a true AJC Peachtree Road Race veteran who is about to go on his 50th run.
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Larry Kuglar has quite the collection of AJC Peachtree Road Race t-shirts, one for each year he’s competed.
After five decades of “memories,” the Polk County resident has fashioned his race shirts into a quilt to show the history of his runs.
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“I believe in the old Toby Keith song,” Larry Kuglar told Channel 2 Action News. “Don’t let the old man in.”
Larry Kuglar first started running in the event at just 29 years old.
He’s kept at it for 50 years and said it’s fun to look back at the different races.
“I think one of the first ones was my first race,” Larry Kuglar said.
Larry Kuglar told Petersen that his first AJC Peachtree Road Race was back in the days when the starting line was at the old Sears building.
“And the finish line was at Five Points in downtown Atlanta,” Larry Kuglar said.
Now, the Sears building is gone. Larry Kuglar’s wife Lynn has hit the road right alongside him. She’s even run 15 races herself.
“At one point it go so busy on the Fourth of July that I decided it was easier to run than to take care of everyone!” Lynne Kuglar said.
For Larry Kuglar, the world’s largest 10K is something special. Even at age 79, he aims to keep running.
“Don’t let the old man in,” Larry Kuglar said. “That’s kind of my slogan these days.”
After so many years running the race, he shared this advice: “Start slowly, finish slowly,” especially with the heat.
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