The Atlanta Track Club (ATC), organizer of the Atlanta Half Marathon and Thanksgiving Day 5K, announced today that Rebecca Meyer, the season 8 at-home $100,000 winner of NBC’s “The Biggest Loser” will be the official starter of the sold-out Thanksgiving Day 5K on Thursday, November 24. Along with starting the Thanksgiving Day 5K, Meyer will also participate in the event as part of her quest to run at least one event in all 50 states by her 30th birthday on March 15, 2014. The Thanksgiving Day 5K held in conjunction with the Atlanta Half Marathon in Atlanta, Ga. will serve as the eighth stop on her running tour that began in early September.
“I’m really excited to be finishing up my 2011 50 in 50 by 30 Challenge in Atlanta at the Thanksgiving Day 5K race,” said Meyer. “It’s an appropriate conclusion to what has been an interesting several months traveling around the country fulfilling my personal long-term goal of finishing a race in all 50 states by the time I’m 30 years old.”
Meyer, 27, is a native of Des Moines, Iowa. In 2009 she took part in season 8 of NBC’s hit show “The Biggest Loser”, and like many of the contestants, being on the show changed her life permanently. Meyer lost nearly half her body weight during her time with the show, and has recently become an International Sports and Conditioning Association (ISCA) certified personal trainer.
2011 marks the second running of the Thanksgiving Day 5K that was added to the Atlanta Half Marathon events in 2010 to provide runners and walkers of all abilities the opportunity to be a part of the holiday event. Along with the Atlanta Half Marathon and the Thanksgiving Day 5K, the event also features the Mashed Potato Mile for children ages 7-12 and the Gravy Gallop, a 50 meter dash for kids ages 6 and under. Close to 13,000 participants are expected to take part in the Atlanta Half Marathon events on Thanksgiving morning. Additional information regarding the Atlanta Half Marathon and Thanksgiving Day 5K can be found at atlantahalfmarathon.org.
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About the Atlanta Track Club
The Atlanta Track Club (ATC) is a nonprofit organization established to inspire and engage the community to achieve health and fitness through running. With more than 16,000 members, the ATC 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 Atlanta Marathon and Marathon Relay (atlantamarathon.org), and the Atlanta Half Marathon and Thanksgiving Day 5K (atlantahalfmarathon.org), the Atlanta Track Club directs more than 25 running events per year. Through the support of its members and volunteers, the 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 the ATC’s All-Metro Banquets and supporting the Grady Bicycle EMT program. For more information on the Atlanta Track Club, visit atlantatrackclub.org.