Club Provides Update on Strategic Plan, Change to Membership Pricing
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.
About Atlanta Track Club
Atlanta Track Club is a nonprofit committed to creating an active and healthy Atlanta. Through running and walking, Atlanta Track Club motivates, inspires and engages the community to enjoy a healthier lifestyle.
With more than 30,000 members, Atlanta Track Club 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 Publix Atlanta Marathon, PNC Atlanta 10 Miler and Invesco QQQ Thanksgiving Day Half Marathon, Atlanta Track Club directs more than 30 events per year. Through the support of its members and volunteers, 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 Atlanta Track Club’s All-Metro Banquets and supporting the Grady Bicycle EMT program. For more information on Atlanta Track Club, visit atlantatrackclub.org.
