The Atlanta Track Club is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping people achieve better health and fitness through running. For more than 40 years the club has served both experienced runners and recreational runners of all ages. The Atlanta Track Club is the second largest running organization in the country.
Each year the club sponsors more than two dozen running events. Its most notable races are the Peachtree Road Race, always held on Independence Day, and the Atlanta Half Marathon, held on Thanksgiving Day. The Atlanta Track Club holds a variety of other events throughout the year including 5K and 10K races, team relays, and track and field meets.
The Atlanta Track Club sponsors training programs for novice and intermediate level runners. The training programs are geared for shorter races as well as marathons and half marathons, allowing runners to achieve their individual goals. One program is specifically geared for women. All club members are entitled to receive coaching assistance. Fifty coaches volunteer their time to help runners reach their health and fitness goals.
The AJC Peachtree Road Race, a 10K race, is the club biggest event of the year and a popular Atlanta 4th of July tradition. The 6.2 mile course covers an area from Buckhead to Piedmont Park in midtown. The race attracts a group of elite runners of all ages from across the U.S. and internationally. The top winner in the open category receives a $15,000 prize purse. A typical crowd of 150,000 spectators line the streets of Atlanta to watch the race.
The club other major event, the Atlanta Half Marathon, is one of the largest half marathons in the country. The race is an Atlanta Thanksgiving Day tradition. The half marathon is open to runners ages 14 and older. The course takes runners past such historic Atlanta landmarks as Centennial Olympic Park, Piedmont Park, historic Auburn Avenue and the M.L. King National Historic Site, and Turner Field. The race attracts thousands of runners and spectators.
Upcoming events of the Atlanta Track Club include All-Comers Track and Field meets on May 22, 29, and June 5. These events are open to runners, jumpers, and throwers of all ages and ability levels. The 2012 Braves Country Father Day 4-Miler is scheduled for June 16. The race begins and ends at Turner Field and includes tickets to see the Atlanta Braves play the Baltimore Orioles. The race is open to both club members and non-members, and the registration cut-off date is June 13.