‘Pure excitement everywhere:’ Peachtree Road Race draws thousands in heat and harmony

ATLANTA — For hours Saturday morning, as temperatures kept stepping higher into the 80s, a great bobbing current of sweat-drenched runners flowed down 10^th Street, into Piedmont Park.

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Many dressed in the colors of Old Glory. Some had “USA” and red, white, and blue glitter painted on their cheeks. One group hoisted the Union Jack, as if channeling the spirit of Paul Revere. Another dressed up as the history-book luminaries who founded a nation on these shores 250 years ago.

A woman was wearing a Lady Liberty crown. A sleeveless Santa was jingling a bell. There were men and women costumed as hot dogs.

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The 57^th Northridge Hospital Peachtree Road Race was a pageantry of hilarity, unity, and selfies. Tim Hynes, 76, has been running in this race for nearly 30 years.

“I love it,” he said. “This is the city. It is diverse. It is happy. Nobody’s (ticked off) at other people.”

The main race started at 6:50 a.m., with runners huffing their way along 10 kilometers from Lenox Square to Piedmont Park. More than 56,000 people from all 50 states and about 30 countries laced up for this iconic Atlanta event, which debuted in 1970.

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Jaclyn Nasser, 41, treasures the camaraderie among runners, the cheering onlookers, and supportive volunteers – and the tremendous sense of accomplishment upon crossing the finish line.

“I love being around my fellow community and having everybody come out and celebrate the Fourth of July, our country, and doing something hard,” she said.

But the heat and humidity – the race had red flag conditions – had 60-year-old Marty Fleischmann pushing a little less hard.

“Today I was not going hard because it was so darn hot,” he said. “I pushed the first half, slowed down the second a lot.”

Scarlett Nash, 19, is from Memphis and is now a student at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga. She’s been running the race every year since she was 10.

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“It’s just like pure excitement everywhere,” she said. “I’m not wearing headphones with music because I don’t need it to keep me hyped. Like there’s people cheering ‘love your cowboy hat! Love the shirt,’” she said.

Dr. Kim Fountain had just the prescription for finishing the race – or anything – strong.

“Just be yourself,” she said. “Just live, just enjoy. Don’t even run for a race or a time. Just enjoy, just enjoy life.”

And from Fleischman, the runner who pushed a little slower this year: “You’re never too old to keep pushing.”

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