Honestly, if you weren't standing on Peachtree Road at 6:30 a.m. this past July Fourth, you missed more than just a race. You missed a massive, humid, 50,000-person statement about what Atlanta is actually like. The 2025 Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race wasn't just another year of running; it was the biggest turnout we've seen since the pre-pandemic 50th anniversary in 2019. More than 52,000 people registered. It’s wild.
People call it the world’s largest 10K, and they aren't kidding. But 2025 felt different. Maybe it was the fireworks returning to Buckhead the night before, or maybe it was just that collective itch to get back to the "sacred" tradition of suffering through 6.2 miles for a t-shirt.
The Kenyans Swept and Nobody Was Surprised
If you follow the elite circuit, you knew the field was stacked. But the 2025 edition saw something pretty cool: the winners of both the men’s and women’s elite divisions hailed from the same country.
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Hellen Obiri is basically a legend at this point. She made her Peachtree debut this year and, in true Obiri fashion, she didn’t just show up; she dominated. She clocked in at 31:29. It wasn’t a course record—Brigid Kosgei’s 30:22 from a few years back is still safe—but watching her navigate the humidity was like watching a masterclass.
On the men's side, Patrick Kiprop took the tape. He finished in 27:35. It was a dogfight, though. The top four men all finished under 27:40, which is blazing fast when you consider the heat index was already climbing toward 91 degrees by the time the later waves finished. Kiprop admitted afterward that the hills were "a little more tough" than he expected.
Welcome to Atlanta, Patrick.
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Goodbye Cardiac Hill, Hello Hope Hill
For decades, everyone called the stretch of road near the Shepherd Center "Cardiac Hill." It’s the worst part of the race. You’ve already run three miles, the sun is out, and suddenly you’re staring at a vertical wall.
In 2025, the Atlanta Track Club officially renamed it "Hope Hill."
This wasn’t just a marketing gimmick. It was a tribute to the Shepherd Center’s 50th anniversary. If you've ever seen the wheelchair athletes fly up that incline, you know why the name fits. Speaking of which, Daniel Romanchuk and Susannah Scaroni did it again. Romanchuk finished in 18:36, and Scaroni crossed at 21:26. They make that hill look like a flat driveway. It's humbling.
By the Numbers: Why 2025 Was Huge
- 50,000+ finishers: The actual number of people who hit the pavement.
- 21,000 gallons of water: That’s how much the volunteers handed out.
- 96 years old: The age of the oldest participant. Think about that next time you want to sleep in.
- 10 years old: The age of the youngest official runner.
- 5% increase: The jump in registration compared to 2024.
The MARTA Mess and Other Realities
Look, I have to be real with you—getting to the start line was a bit of a nightmare for some. MARTA had some serious delays at the North Springs and Doraville stations. We're talking 45-minute waits just to get on a train. When you're trying to time your warm-up and your wave start, that’s stress you don’t need.
And the heat? It was "Atlanta hot." By 11:30 a.m., it was brutal. If you weren't in an early wave, you were basically running through a sauna.
But that's sort of the point of the 2025 Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race. It's not supposed to be easy. If it were easy, the t-shirt wouldn't be "sacred." This year’s shirt design featured a bold, patriotic look that people actually seemed to like—which is a miracle given how much Atlantans love to complain about the shirt.
What You Should Actually Do Next
If you missed the 2025 race or you’re already looking ahead to the 250th anniversary of the U.S. in 2026, here is the move.
First, get your membership with the Atlanta Track Club before the end of the year. It’s the only way to guarantee your spot without sweating the lottery. Second, start training on hills now. Don't wait until June. Find a hill, run up it, repeat.
Lastly, check the official results on the Atlanta Track Club app or the AJC website if you haven't yet. Seeing your name in the top 500 for your age group is a legitimate brag. If you were one of the 52,000, go find your photos. You probably look exhausted, but you also look like part of Atlanta history.
Go ahead and mark July 4, 2026, on your calendar. It's a Saturday, which means the post-race party in Piedmont Park is going to be even more chaotic than usual.