Finish line pose
Pageant Girls Run is a series that details the health and fitness journeys of women and girls in pageantry.
On July 4, 2016, I had the honor and privilege of participating in the 2016 AJC Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta, Georgia. If you are seasoned runner, the AJC Peachtree Road Race is one of the races on every runner’s bucket list. It is the largest 10K race in the world that attracts nearly 60,000 participants each year. The race is so popular that you have to enter the lottery in order to have the possibility of garnering a spot in this premiere race. Believe me I was surprised when I was selected for the race because anything that is left up to chance hardly ever works in my favor. I never win a raffle drawing. Lol. I didn’t start officially training until May, but I was more than ready when race day arrived.
I arrived on Sunday afternoon. I checked into my hotel and got settled before I hopped into an Uber and headed over to the Georgia World Congress Center to the Health and Fitness Expo to pick up my bib and packet. It was later in the day when I arrived so I avoided the hassle of long lines at registration, but the crowd at the Health and Fitness Expo was still massive. The Expo had a variety of booths with merchandise and services of interest to runners. I even purchased a car magnet from Black Girls Run! and a metal display hanger from Detroit Metal Works!
Posing in front of the Black Girls Run! banner at the Health and Fitness Expo
Getting my top model behavior on at the PNC Bank Booth
After I finished meandering through the Expo, I grabbed an early dinner and headed over to catch MARTA. Let me tell you I am new to MARTA, but it didn’t take me long to understand the different color lines. I got off at the Lenox Station thinking my hotel was right around the corner. Wrong Answer! I literally walked 1.7 miles! That is not far (I did a half-marathon once so I am use to distance), but I didn’t have on the proper foot gear so it made the walk very tedious. I made it to my hotel unharmed, and I began to wind down so I could prepare for tomorrow’s race.
Kelly and I posing at the start area
Race Day is here, and I am super excited! I took an Uber to the Marta Station, and the bus dropped me off near the start area. I had to walk about .5 mile to my corral. My corral began their race at about 8:30 a.m. The race began at Lenox and ended at Piedmont Park. I incorporated the Jeff Galloway method (Run, Walk, Run) into my running strategy where I ran 2 minutes and walked 1 minute and repeated the process. Throughout the race, I felt confident and full of energy even in the midst of the hot and humid Georgia weather. I didn’t realize I had made it up the “dreaded” Cardiac Hill until after the race was almost done. I finished the race in 01:17:54. I was a little disappointed in my time (Yes, I am competitive.), but all is well. I am still grateful I had the opportunity to compete in the race. Running is not only about health and fitness for me, but it is a spiritual experience for me as well. I feel one with God when I am running. I am centered and focused, and I would not trade that experience for the world. Check out the vlog below which highlights my race experience.
Catch me on my next running adventure kings and queens!
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