Wow!  What a blast!  Happy 4^th of July everyone!  My husband and daughter escorted me to the Marta (Atlanta's rapid transit) station bright and early and we rode the train downtown to Lenox.  The start is near Lenox Mall and the finish is in Piedmont Park 6.2 miles down Peachtree Road and across 10^th St.  Since the locations are different, riding public transportation is about the only way to do this one.  It wasn't hard to figure out where to go from the station.  There were gazillions of people in shorts making their way in a single general direction.  The Atlanta Track Club does an amazing job of herding and corralling over 50,000 runners and at least that many families and fans.  I was in the way back group for "casual runners and walkers."  I wasn't sure how I got that far back, but as I had a chat with a nice gentleman in my group who was a more serious runner and Peachtree veteran, he explained that the web sign-up defaulted to that and he had made a mistake and gotten in a hurry to apply so he ended up in the way back group.  I guess that's what happened to me because I knew I wasn't "seeded" or "qualified" so I just hurried through that part of the app.  The Peachtree Road Race fills up in a couple hours, so you have to be on your game to get a number!  I'll do it a little differently next year, but it wasn't so bad starting so much later after the first groups because it was the most perfect summer, sunny, yet cool day you could imagine.  It's after noon now and still not above 80 - simply astonishing for this time of year.  My husband and daughter got back on Marta and rode to the finish area to get a spot to wait for me.  They texted that it was thronged with people and about the time they got there, the first finishers (something like 28 minutes!) were zipping by them.  I crawled my way to the start with my group and finally they gave us the ready-set-go.  I quickly relaxed and got into a happy pace.  Within about 200 yards I was passing walkers.  I was amazed that they were giving it up so quickly but I was in the "walker" group.  Then after about ½ or ¾ mile I started passing people walking in the higher numbered groups.  This made me feel very strong and fast.  The nice man I'd chatted with had filled me in on every nook and cranny of the course.  That helped a lot!  The whole first 3 miles were down hill!  I'm serious - I ran like the wind, gliding all the way.  I knew that after 3 miles there was the famous "cardiac hill" that went for nearly a mile by the hospital which historically psyches everyone out.  I mentally prepared myself for this, but it was nothing!  I have a much steeper hill than that to get out of my house and the mile or so to Main St. on my daily runs!  Next year I won't save so much back.  I could have gone even faster down that 3 mile slope!  Everyone was falling out like crazy to walk.  They had plenty of water stops about each mile and the mile markers were very clear.  I grabbed 2 cups of water along the way and really didn't want any more.  I used Len's technique to crease the rim so I didn't slosh it up my nose as I ran - and it worked great.  I didn't want to stop at all.  They also had water spraying across the street which might have been nice on a really hot day, but it just wasn't that hot, so I skirted those.  There were all sorts of bands and radio disc jockeys playing all sorts and genres of music.  It was fun and all were helpful to the energy level.  A little after mile 5, you turn from Peachtree Road onto 10^th St. and that's the last sprint to the park.  I put on the heat at the same time as I was looking for my husband and daughter in case of photo ops!  I couldn't believe the human traffic on that last leg.  They were all stopping!  Why would they stop there?  I had to run like you have to drive in Atlanta traffic.  I dodged and weaved and shucked and jived.  I saw my Sweeties standing on the side and they were both casually watching the road and had no idea I would be there so quickly.  I shouted to them and they scrambled to take a few snaps.  I turned up the kick and flew in to the finish.  I haven't seen the official results yet, but by my calculations I did it in about 1:05.  While that's not so fast for all of y'all, it's not too bad for me and I know I could have done better in several spots.  Next year I plan to beat an hour!  It was such a rush to be surrounded by so many others and gave me a huge boost of energy and competitiveness.  One of the things that happened repeatedly on the course was that someone (men and women did this) would come up next to me and fall into my pace.  I read their thought balloon, "Here's an old woman I can keep up with."  I would shift it into high gear and speed away from them.  Several times I'd hear a noisy moan or grunt as I charged ahead.  What a hoot!  Here's a snap my daughter managed to get as I breezed by her and here's me in my new t-shirt trophy (100% cotton of course - we are in Georgia after all).  Time to go make some burgers and dogs.  What a great day.