Sports
Inaugural ‘ Peachtree Corners Decathlon’ obstacle course event invites local athletes to race
Decathlon Dates and Times:
Saturday, Nov. 6, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Town Green Path to Fitness, 5140 Town Center Boulevard
Awards Ceremony:
Monday, Nov. 8, 6:30 p.m.
Anderby Brewing, 110 Technology Parkway, Suite 200
Registration $20 peachtreecornersga.gov/residents/ptc-decathlon-2021
Ambitious athletic folks are invited to join the City’s inaugural Peachtree Corners Decathlon, a Nov. 6 competition based on the local “Path to Fitness” obstacle course.
The Decathlon will be the first City-run event in its nine-year history and matches its motto of innovation, according to City Councilmember Alex Wright, who came up with the idea. He notes that footraces are “a dime a dozen” across the metro area. “But how many cities have a Decathlon? Probably zero because they don’t have an asset like this,” he said.
The Path to Fitness is a series of exercise stations that opened earlier this year at the Town Green. The Decathlon will consist of a timed run of eight of those stations, plus a rowing machine and a third-of-a-mile run. It’s partly inspired by a nationwide phenomenon called the Spartan Race, the basic concept of which may be familiar from the reality TV show “American Ninja Warrior.”
Wright and City Manager Brian Johnson worked on the Path to Fitness concept. Johnson, a former U.S. Army Ranger, pushed for designs that were more challenging and a bit more like the military obstacle courses that have partly informed the athletic version.
“When we initially built it, we had no idea if anyone would use it,” said Wright of the Path to Fitness. He says it’s been a hit — though the biggest users have been older children, who are allowed to do so with supervision, but are not the target audience. “But the point is, it became a real attraction,” says Wright, and the City believes it’s another boost to nearby businesses as families come to visit.
The Path to Fitness and the new Decathlon event both drew inspiration from Wright’s experience in workout groups around town and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in sending more people outdoors for exercise more often.
A longtime runner, Wright was introduced to Spartan races several years ago by a friend named David Bradford. Wright agreed to join the team in the sometimes grueling event. “I remember thinking, ‘I’m never going to do it again,’” Wright recalled. But then after a month or so, “I was like, I’m kind of intrigued.”
Unlike the solitary sport of running, the obstacle races were team events, which appealed to Wright, a Navy veteran. “Come to find out, I really enjoyed the camaraderie part of the groups,” he said. “It’s not exactly like being in the military, but it does have that [aspect where] you’re in a group of people doing something together, [and] to a certain extent have a common goal. And it’s not like work where it’s just about money.”
Another attraction was the feeling of accomplishment and confidence. “I had no clue how to climb a rope,” said Wright. “There’s this thing that I have no idea how to do … but through persistence or assistance from your friends, you mastered the thing. And you can apply that to something at work or a relationship or whatever it might be.”
Wright discussed the notion of a City-run obstacle course internally for some time. But the fire was lit under it by COVID. Pre-pandemic, Wright and his friends would work out at the Robert D. Fowler Family YMCA and the playground in Berkeley Park. But COVID shuttered those for long periods, and more people in general were seeking outdoor activity during the lockdowns. Those drove City leaders to make the Path to Fitness a reality and expand its users.
“A lot of those friendships just formed organically through getting together just a couple times a week, and at one point it became almost daily,” said Wright. “When the virus came, it was like, ‘I gotta get outside or I’m gonna strangle somebody.’”
“The virus changed things and sometimes it could be for the good,” he says. “Sometimes good things can come from bad things.”
As for the Decathlon concept, that also came from workout days at the Y. Wright says a member named Mark Metz several years ago organized a 10-event, station-based “Decathlon” there as a playground fundraiser. Combining that with the Spartan race concept led to the Peachtree Corners version.
The Decathlon events include: wall climb; the “bender,” a kind of ladder climb; rowing machine; rope climb; box jump; rope traverse; “multi rig,” a series of rings and bars; sandbag carry; burpees, an exercise involving pushups and jumping; and a third-of-a-mile run.
The event will run 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Unlike road races, where everyone goes at once, it will have rolling start times for individuals every five minutes. That also means the slots for participants are limited to 84. Participants must be 18 or older.
The City will give awards for winners in men’s, women’s and men/women over-40 categories.
The City is funding the event, mostly using internal resources with the only new spending being T-shirts and publicity. The registration fee is $20, partly to ensure that participants feel committed to show up and partly to cover costs. Besides entry, the fee gets participants a T-shirt and food and drink at the awards ceremony at Anderby Brewing.
That ceremony will be held two days later. Wright says that partly because the rolling start times mean many competitors won’t want to hang around all day after finishing. And Mondays are a slower night for the brewery, so it’s intended as a “win-win.”
Wright encourages anyone interested in participating to try out the Path to Fitness first. “You definitely need to practice if you’re not familiar with some of the obstacles,” he says. Each station on the path has a QR code that links to a YouTube video showing how to properly use it.
Peachtree Corners resident, Alex Everett traveled to Italy this past September — not as a tourist but as an athlete. The 28-year-old accountant and liver transplant survivor, served as goalkeeper on Team USA as they competed in the first-ever Transplant Football World Cup.
The event — part of the larger World Transplant Games — promoted giving the gift of life through a week of connection and sportsmanship, showcasing how people with organ transplants can live a normal, active life.
“I first heard about the US Transplant World Cup team a few years ago through a social media post,” said Alex. “The first Transplant World Cup was originally going to take place in 2022 but was postponed due to the uncertainty around international travel and COVID. Fast forward to 2024 and Team USA had an interest meeting via Zoom to discuss details about the tournament and fielding the American team.”
Team USA
All together, they had 14 people from around the United States (hailing from Georgia, Ohio, New York, New Jersey, California and Hawaii) join the team, which traveled to Cervia, Italy in September to compete.
“There were 10 other countries that were represented in the World Cup, and we were split into two groups, one of five and one of six,” Alex explained.
“It was an incredible experience representing the US at an international level, competing against other transplant recipients from around the world. We not only were able to share our passion for soccer but also our stories of transplantation and what obstacles we had to overcome to be where we were.”
Coming together to compete
Team USA played well in their matches but placed 9th out of the 11 teams. Because players came from all over the country to join the team, they hadn’t had the opportunity to practice together — or even meet in person — before the tournament started.
“The first time we met face to face and kick a ball as a team was our first game against France,” said Alex. “While that outcome was not what we wanted, we progressively got better as the tournament went on. Eventually ending with a win in a penalty shoot-out against Wales and a normal time win in our final game against Northern Ireland.”
“It was an incredible experience, and I would highly recommend anyone who’s involved with transplantation to reach out and get involved with not only Team USA but also with the Transplant Games of America (TGA), which is an Olympic-style competition for people who have received transplants or living donors,” he added.
Most states in the US have their own TGA team, including one here in Georgia.
World Transplant Games 2025
The next World Transplant Games will be held in Dresden, Germany on August 17-24, 2025.
Over six days, athletes and teams from 60 countries will meet to compete in 17 different sports. The US Team is excited to be part of it again and are currently looking for more players interested in taking part.
Leave a lasting legacy
Alex is also involved with the Peachtree Corners-based organization LifeLink® of Georgia, a division of the LifeLink® Foundation.
Established over 40 years ago, the foundation’s mission is to inspire new organ donor registrations and celebrate those who have decided to save lives as a registered organ, eye or tissue donor. The mission is carried out locally through education programs and community awareness campaigns.
Earlier this year, LifeLink of Georgia launched The Infinity Campaign, a state-wide educational effort aimed at motivating and registering new organ donors. The campaign is represented by the infinity symbol, to demonstrate the lasting impact of organ and tissue donation.
About LifeLink of Georgia
LifeLink of Georgia partners with hospitals to support and guide families as they establish their loved one’s legacy through organ and tissue donation.
They carry out the decisions of registered donors or their families and honor the life of each donor by providing organs and tissue for transplant to as many patients as possible.
In 2023, 457 men, women and children gifted a legacy of life through organ donation with LifeLink of Georgia, yet there are still nearly 3,000 patients in the state awaiting an organ transplant and thousands more that could benefit from tissue transplantation.
“When you become an organ donor, your life story continues through the lives you save, ensuring that your legacy lives on indefinitely,” says Katie Payne, executive director, LifeLink of Georgia. “Life is an invaluable treasure, a lesson we learn anew each day from our donor families. Thanks to their generosity, LifeLink of Georgia saves thousands of lives every year, and we are deeply honored to continue this extraordinary mission.”
The Infinity Campaign
The Infinity Campaign features a series of real stories from registered donors, each telling what inspired them to register and emphasizing the effect this decision has on saving lives. By sharing these stories, LifeLink aims to motivate more people to register as organ, eye and tissue donors and spread the message of hope and life.
“The decision to become a donor was deeply personal. It is an opportunity to give the ultimate gift — the gift of life,” said Adán Bean. “I get to continue to tell the story for others, be a little bit of ink in their pen and help them write what they want to write.”
As part of the launch, LifeLink has created the website mystorycontinues.com, which spotlights stories from donors and recipients and offers innovative tools, including the opportunity to upload a photo to share your support and spread the word on social media about the importance of organ, eye and tissue donation.
Become a donor
Being a donor is an incredible way for individuals to make a difference and have an impact on the lives of others. One organ, eye and tissue donor can potentially save or improve the lives of more than 75 people.
The need for organ and tissue donors is greater now than ever, given the growing numbers of people on transplant wait lists and increasing numbers of people with diabetes and kidney disease.
Currently, there are about 3,000 people in Georgia on the organ transplant list and thousands more on the tissue transplant list.
There are several simple ways to register your decision to be an organ, eye and tissue donor:
- Visit mystorycontinues.com and sign up today.
- Register when renewing or receiving a driver’s license or identification card at the Georgia Department of Driver Services.
- Register when obtaining a hunting or fishing license through the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
For more about LifeLink of Georgia, visit lifelinkfoundation.org/our-story/#llgeorgia.
The two-day event aims to raise funds for local dog rescue
Show off your pickleball skills, cheer on the players, meet fellow dog lovers and enjoy the beautiful facility and courts at Life Time Health & Fitness Center in Peachtree Corners at the second annual Pickle for Pups fundraising weekend.
Whether you’re a tournament-level player or a pickleball beginner, this two-day event offers fun for everyone. With exciting games, drills and open play; a Friday night party; Saturday team tournament; and an online raffle, it’s a great way to meet and mingle with other pickleball enthusiasts while supporting the work done by BarkVille Dog Rescue.
Weekend events
The festivities kick off on Friday, November 15 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. with an evening of food, drinks, live music and pickleball. The Life Time pros will offer clinics and drills, and other courts will be available for open play. Some of the rescue’s adorable, adoptable dogs will even be onsite for the fun.
Saturday, November 16 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. will feature the team tournament with two divisions: 3.0/3.5 and 4.0/4.5. Matches will include one men’s line, one women’s line and two mixed lines. The top four teams in each level will advance to the medal round, and medals for the top three teams in each division will be awarded.
Participants can form their own team or ask to be placed on a team at their level.
Team tournament players will receive a boxed lunch, and food will also be available for purchase at the club restaurant.
In addition to tournament play, beginners clinics and drills will be offered from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m., and open play will be available for those who can’t commit to the full afternoon but still want to have some pickleball fun.
There will be nine courts available for Friday night and 12 courts for Saturday. All courts are permanent pickleball courts and indoor courts are also available, so the event will be held rain or shine.
Ticket options
The Drinks & Dinks pass includes entrance to the Friday evening party (complete with food, drink, live music and pickleball), as well as entry on Saturday for open play, clinics and drills. Cost: $50.
The Top Dog “Team Up for Rescue” tournament pass is for people playing in the team tournament and includes registration for all of the action on Saturday as well as the Friday night party and an event swag bag. Cost: $75.
Both ticket options allow you to come both days or just one day.
The raffle
Pickle for Pups is also holding a raffle featuring amazing prizes, including an all-inclusive trip for two to the Caribbean, a Zane Navratil ProXR paddle and virtual lesson, gift cards to local restaurants and more.
New prizes will be added weekly leading up to the event. Raffle tickets can be purchased online through November 16. The drawing will be held that day at 3:00 p.m.
Ten raffle entries are $25; 140 entries can be purchased for $200. Other entry packages are available for $50 and $100 as well.
The details
Event dates: November 15-16
Location: Life Time Health Club & Fitness Center at 6350 Courtside Dr. NW, Peachtree Corners, GA
For more information or to make a donation, purchase event tickets or buy raffle entries, visit go.rallyup.com/pickleforpups2024.
For more about BarkVille Dog Rescue, visit barkvilledogrescue.org.
Information about Life Time in Peachtree Corners can be found at lifetime.life/locations/ga/peachtree-corners.
Olympian Jasmine Jones, a standout alumna of Greater Atlanta Christian School (Class of 2020), returned to her alma mater on September 12 to speak to and inspire the next generation of students there.
GAC staff interviewed Jones and also took questions from the students during a Q&A session that included every grade level.
As a member of the U.S. Olympic team and a 12-time Georgia state individual champion during her time at GAC, Jasmine’s visit was a homecoming filled with motivation and reflection. She spoke passionately to the students about the importance of perseverance, goal-setting, and embracing challenges, drawing from her journey from GAC to the University of Southern California and the global stage of the Olympics.
Jones qualified for the Paris Olympics on June 30 and made the U.S. team in women’s 400m hurdles after placing third. She went on to place fourth in the women’s 400m hurdles final at the Paris games.
Students and staff at GAC cheered Jones on during the Olympics. And they cheered her again as she took to the school’s stage to address the audience. Before and after the event, Jones posed for photos, gave high-fives and took time connect with some of GAC’s enthusiastic students and faculty.
Her words — and her accomplishments — left a powerful impression on the crowd, reminding everyone of the heights that can be achieved with dedication and faith.
For more about GACS, visit greateratlantachristian.org.
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Light up the Corners [Video]
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Cliff Bramble: A Culinary Adventure through Italy
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