ATLANTA, October 22, 2017 – With a new course, plentiful crowd support and pleasant fall weather, runners and walkers enjoyed the fifth annual PNC Atlanta 10 Miler & 5K this morning. More than 5,000 participated in the event, which starts and finishes at Atlantic Station and runs through West Midtown, Buckhead and Midtown.
Evan Park of Alpharetta, Georgia, broke the tape for the men in the PNC Atlanta 10 Miler with a 56:57 finish. Park finished fifth last year and developed a strategy going into this year’s race. “I had a game plan that if there were three miles to go, I’d hit the gas a little bit. Then with a mile and a half left, I saw a guy right behind me and thought it would be a good time to go,” said Park, who enjoyed the new course. “Going down Cardiac Hill [instead of up] was nice but if you’re going to go down hills, you’re going to go up them, too.”
Back to defend her title for the women was Lauren Woodring. The PNC employee once again dominated the women’s field, finishing in 59:54 – more than four minutes ahead of second place finisher Allyson McGinty of Suwanee, Georgia (1:04:05). “I thought maybe we’d luck out and the new course would be flatter,” laughed Woodring, who is from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. “It’s still challenging, but it was good to come down and enjoy Atlanta since it’s such a beautiful city.”
In the Atlanta 5K, it was a sprint to the finish for the men. Atlanta Track Club Elite’s Jeremy Greenwald outkicked his competition, winning in 15:16 and just one second ahead of second place finisher Sean Stetler of Atlanta (15:17). Greenwald recently returned to Atlanta for graduate school. He says he’s already seeing the benefits of running for Atlanta Track Club Elite. “By this point, I know my teammates’ strengths and weaknesses and they know mine. It’s helpful to have them in the race during the tough spots.”
The top female finisher for the Atlanta 5K was Carmen Graves (17:38), who also runs for Atlanta Track Club Elite. She also worked with her teammates on the course today as she pushed for the win. “My plan was to go out really easy, and we ended up working together for the first mile. After the second mile, we started breaking up, so I just tried to keep my cadence going into the finish.”
The 2017 PNC Atlanta 10 Miler featured a new twist on its a “race within a race,” Conquer Cardiac Hill presented by Mizuno. Instead of racing uphill as in previous years, splits were timed for participants as they ran from the top of the hill to the bottom. Roger Schmidt and Courtney Strosnider were crowned King and Queen of Cardiac Hill for finishing the challenge the fastest in 5:12 and 5:47 respectively. Found approximately two miles into the new 10-mile course, Cardiac Hill is the name given to the stretch of Peachtree Road that rises more than 12 stories in elevation in less than a mile. The top 100 fastest particpants down the hill received a commemorative mug.
Participants of the PNC Atlanta 10 Miler enjoyed cheer zones created by 10 local nonprofits selected for Atlanta Track Club’s Adopt a Mile program. The Club chose the organizations based on their work to improve health and fitness in the metro Atlanta community through walking and running, with a special emphasis on those serving youth. Atlanta Track Club will donate up to $5,000 to each of the nonprofit organizations depending on the level of assistance, participation and enthusiasm from each group. Additionally, the organization voted “Best of the Best” by event participants will earn a $500 prize. For a list of participating organizations, visit atlantatrackclub.org.
For complete results for the 2017 PNC Atlanta 10 Miler & 5K, visit atlantatrackclub.org.
About the PNC Atlanta 10 Miler
In its fifth year, the PNC Atlanta 10 Miler features a scenic but challenging course that starts and finishes inside Atlantic Station and takes participants on a tour of unbeatable skyline views and tree-lined streets in Buckhead and Midtown. As the featured second stop for participants in the Triple Peach Race Series presented by Mizuno, this event is a perfect next step after the AJC Peachtree Road Race and a great final tune-up for the Thanksgiving Day Half Marathon. Held along with the PNC Atlanta 10 Miler is the Atlanta 5K. For more information, visit atlantatrackclub.org.
About Atlanta Track Club
Atlanta Track Club is a nonprofit committed to creating an active and healthy Atlanta. Through running and walking, Atlanta Track Club motivates, inspires and engages the community to enjoy a healthier lifestyle. With more than 27,000 members, Atlanta Track Club is the second largest running organization in the United States. In addition to the AJC Peachtree Road Race (peachtreeroadrace.org) – the largest 10K running event in the world, the Publix Georgia Marathon, PNC Atlanta 10 Miler and Thanksgiving Day Half Marathon, Atlanta Track Club directs more than 30 events per year. Through the support of its members and volunteers, Atlanta Track Club also maintains a number of community initiatives including organizing and promoting the Kilometer Kids youth running program to metro Atlanta youth, honoring high school cross country and track and field athletes through Atlanta Track Club’s All-Metro Banquets and supporting the Grady Bicycle EMT program. For more information on Atlanta Track Club, visit atlantatrackclub.org.