Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race's Success with BibTag 

Discover how BibTag technology was used to time the largest 10 km race in the world, the AJC Peachtree Road Race!

About the Peachtree

The Peachtree is one of the most iconic road races in the world. It takes place annually on July 4 in Atlanta, Georgia. The race has a rich history, dating back to 1970, and has grown to become the largest 10k in the world. Each year, tens of thousands of participants gather to run or walk the 6.2-mile course through the streets of Atlanta, celebrating fitness and community. This year, there was approximately 43,389 finishers, and 3,000 Microsoft Peachtree Junior participants - the kids' version of the Peachtree.

The Peachtree is organized by Atlanta Track Club, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting health and fitness through running and walking. The Club has been organizing the race for the last 55 years and has played a significant role in its growth and success.

Timing Setup

Timing is a crucial element of any mass race, and the Peachtree is no exception. To ensure accurate timing for all participants, Atlanta Track Club utilizes MYLAPS BibTag technology.

The BibTag system is the MYLAPS solution to a passive timing system used for mass events. The BibTag system requires minimal handling and logistics with disposable tags on the bib and offers the highest read rates in the industry. Essential timing equipment such as decoders, tags, detection mats, and timing software is needed to time a mass running event. These components work together to capture and record the exact times of each athlete as they cross the start, finish and intermediary timing points. 

The track setup of the Peachtree involved Atlanta track Club placing decoders and detection mats at the start, finish, and split points on the course. With seven primary timelines, as well as start and finish backup lines, the athletes could easily track their times via the race day app. As the participants cross over the detection mats, the tags are detected and record their times accurately. 

"Thanks to the MYLAPS team, we introduced more timing mats than ever along the iconic Peachtree course on July 4," said Rich Kenah, CEO of Atlanta Track Club and race director of the Peachtree. "The BibTag technology not only enhanced the race day experience for all participants but also allowed family and friends to track progress in real-time at each mile using our new race day app. This innovative enhancement significantly elevated the race experience, making this year’s Peachtree the best yet."

The 2024 results of the Peachtree 

Sabastian Sawe, a 28-year-old Kenyan who recently made his U.S. racing debut, dominated the men's footrace at the Peachtree. As the 2023 World Half Marathon Champion and the top-ranked road racer globally, Sawe crossed the finish line in an impressive 28:03. On the women's side, Stacy Ndiwa, a 2-time LA Marathon champion from Kenya, triumphed in 31:12 after a thrilling sprint to the finish, narrowly beating out her compatriot Irine Cheptai by just one second.

Romanchuk (19:37), the course-record holder whose win streak is actually eight if his Junior Peachtree victory in 2016 is included. In the women's wheelchair division, course record-holder Susannah Scaroni won for the third-consecutive year and fourth time overall, in 21:39 - more than three minutes ahead of her nearest competitor.

MYLAPS partnership with Atlanta Track Club

The success of the AJC Peachtree Road Race with MYLAPS BibTag technology is the result of a strong partnership between MYLAPS and Atlanta Track Club.

Both parties signed a long-term partnership agreement earlier this year. Atlanta Track Club is also supported at its key races by The Last Mile Racing, a long-term partner of MYLAPS, which is also the timer of record at events including the Boston Marathon, the Houston Marathon, and the Chicago Marathon. 

Moving forward, the partnership between MYLAPS and Atlanta Track Club will continue to drive innovation in race timing and further enhance the race experience for participants.