Chapter 66

The course runs a leisurely three miles, mostly downhill, and then turns uphill for two miles, this section having become known as ‘cardiac hill’ due to the number of fatalities that have occurred on it over the years. From that point, the course is up and down to the finish line. Running nearly 6.3 miles on a July morning in Atlanta is not for the novice, nor is it for the unfit. Temperature and humidity can and do take a toll—despite the spots along the route where hydrants are opened and sprays of water are directed across the course at the participants. The water feels wonderful as you pass through it—until you realize that a soaking wet T-shirt weighs significantly more than a dry one.

It remains, however, a great event, and the camaraderie is fantastic.