A Course Record Bonus of $50,000 Could Make for Fast Racing at Peachtree Road Race

By Adam Kopet

The 50th Running of the AJC Peachtree Road Race 10K includes a loaded elite field that could put the event-record under threat for both the men and the women according to event organizers.

Rhonex Kipruto leads the men's field. He is the 10,000-meter world leader on the track at 26:50.16 and has a personal-best 26:46 for the road 10K, which stands two seconds off the world record. The 19-year-old Kenyan's top time is well under the 27:04 Peachtree event record.

If the event record in the men's race is to go down, it will likely be a singular affair by Kipruto. However, the women's race features several top distance runners that could all challenge the women's record of 30:32.

First among the women is Brigid Kosgei of Kenya. The 2018 Chicago Marathon and 2019 London Marathon winner has not lost a race since September last year. She won a downhill 10K on New Year's Eve in Madrid, running 29:54.

Fellow Kenyan Fancy Chemutai could be looking to make a record breaking streak. She won the B.A.A. 10K in a course record 30:36 last month. She has also run equal to the second fastest half marathon ever run.

Also in the race is new Boulder resident Edna Kiplagat. She won Peachtree in 2016, but has been best known as a marathoner, including twice winning the marathon at the IAAF World Outdoor Championships.

Emily Sisson leads the American contingent in Atlanta. She has not raced since she placed sixth at the London Marathon, running 2:23:06 in her marathon debut. Sisson is the current world leader in the 10,000 meters on the track with her 30:49.57 win at the Stanford Invitational.