ATLANTA - September 28, 2022 -- Atlanta
Track Club announced enhancements to its membership, sweeping changes to
registration for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race and
unveiled its 2023 program and events calendar at a town hall meeting Wednesday
night. The Club also provided an update on its three-year strategic plan
including progress made on its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
The 2023 calendar can be found here. The 2023 racing season begins
at the stroke of midnight on January 1 with the Resolution Run 5K featuring
fireworks and a post-race toast at Georgia Tech. Annual favorites like
the Peachtree, Publix Atlanta Marathon Weekend, PNC Atlanta 10 Miler & 5K
and Invesco QQQ Thanksgiving Day events will return to their traditional
weekends next year. Additionally, the Club will host the inaugural adidas
Running City Mile in downtown Atlanta on May 6. The event will feature age
group races for kids to masters runners. It will culminate with a professional
heat under the lights.
The
Club also announced that The Grand Prix Series presented by Summit Coffee
will be exclusive to Atlanta Track Club members in 2023. The seven-event
series has traditionally been free to members with an option for non-members to
purchase registration. Beginning with the Jerome Scales Southside 5K/10K on
January 21, participants will only be able to access their free registration
via their member accounts. Members will be receive two guest passes per year to
invite friends and family.
"Our Grand Prix Series presented by Summit Coffee
has traditionally been a great place for members to gather and celebrate
Running City USA," said Rachel Bales, Atlanta Track Club's membership manager.
"As one of our most valuable membership benefits, we are excited to offer these
events exclusively to members of Atlanta Track Club and their invited guests."
For the first time since 2001, the cost of individual membership
at Atlanta Track Club will see a nominal increase. The
Club announced a $5 increase to 2023 membership bringing the new fee to $40.
Dual memberships will increase from $60 to $70 and family memberships will
increase from $75 to $85. Along with exclusive events, 2023 members will
receive an adidas performance hat, discounts to all paid Atlanta Track Club
events and programs plus discounts and exclusive offers from Atlanta Track Club
partners. 2023 memberships will be available starting on November 1. Current
members will have their membership automatically renewed on January 1 unless
they have opted out.
Registration
for the 54th Running of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race
will open March 8 and for the first time in more than 30 years, there will not
be a lottery. Instead, participation will be
capped and entry will be granted on a first come first served basis. Members
will have exclusive access to registration March 8 - 14. The remaining spots
through June 4 or until the event sells out.
"As endurance events recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, we look
forward to modifying some of our long-held practices to meet the changing needs
of walkers and runners," said Rich Kenah, Atlanta Track Club's CEO. "We believe
this new process will allow more participants to confidently sign up for the
Peachtree while delivering new and exciting benefits to the Club's dedicated
members."
Members can register at the fixed price of $42 and enjoy
guaranteed placement in waves A-M as well as early access to the Peachtree
Health & Fitness Expo. The price for non members will
begin at $50 and increase as race day gets closer. Wave placement will be based
on verified qualifying times. The Peachtree will be held Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
The Microsoft Peachtree Junior will be held Sunday, July 2.
As part of Atlanta Track Club's most recent strategic plan, the
Club has enhanced its efforts surrounding accessibility, inclusion and equity
to all runners and walkers in the Atlanta community. The Club provided an
update to those efforts on Tuesday night. Earlier this year, the Club worked
with its registration partner, haku, to add a registration option for
non-binary participants. Non-binary finishers are now included in results
and awards at all Atlanta Track Club events.
Following the release of its Common Ground Report in December of
2021, the Club's DE&I Committee
made up of staff and members of the Board of Directors divided into three
working groups that are focused on the following areas:
- Outreach to Clubs and underrepresented
groups in the running community
- Determining 3 year
plan/goal percentages around member, participant, staff, board, volunteer
and vendor diversity
- Establishing basic DE&I
requirements for consideration as Club vendor
Additionally, Club leadership emerged from nine-week training by
the Culture Ed Collective with a better understanding of the difference between
DE&I and human resources. As a result, the Club expects to hire its first
human resource manager in early October. In conjunction with that new employee,
the Club will formalize a standard DEI onboarding process for all new staff
members.
