All photos courtesy Alex Wright, showing Peachtree Corners residents who are members of his exercise group. Feature photo Kristin McEwen climbs a rope.
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.
Alex Wright
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.
Rich Woodfield climbs the wall.
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.”
Rob Whitesides on the rope traverse.
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.
Emily Fenn does the box jump.
“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.
John Ruch is a journalist with SaportaReport and Buckhead.com in metro Atlanta. His freelance work has appeared in such publications as the Washington Post and the Seattle Times. In his spare time, he writes fantasy novels.
Girls Cross Country // Images courtesy of Wesleyan
WesleyanSchoolis known for its faith-based academic excellence, but maybe you didn’t know that the school’s athletic achievements are just as impressive. This year alone, Wesleyan has amassed an astounding nine state championships.
“The Wesleyan School athletic program has been incredibly blessed to enjoy a significant amount of success during the 2023-2024 school year. Winning nine state championships is a credit to our student-athletes, coaches, and parents,” said Chris Cleveland, head of school and assistant coach for the varsity boys basketball team.
Nine state championship titles are the most Wesleyan has ever won in a single school year. But the school’s athletic department is focused on far more besides winning.
Abbey Suits – divingAnne McSweeney – 800mWesleyan Boys GolfWeezie Moore – girls cross countryWeezie Moore – 3200mWesleyan Girls SoftballMax Perry – 50m freeHattie Wasmuth – 200m IMGirls Track and Field
“While winning a state championship is a substantial accomplishment that is worthy of celebration, it is not the sole measure by which we measure the success of a season. It is our greatest desire and prayer that the lives of our students will be transformed due to the investment by our coaches and through the relationships they build with their teammates,” added Cleveland.
After the girls and boys lacrosse teams won their state titles earlier this year, Wesleyan now has a state championship in every sport they field.
“We are so proud of our student-athletes, coaches, and our entire athletics program. Regardless of the number of state championships in a given year, our goal is to develop young men and young women of character. When recognition like state titles accompanies that objective, it certainly is a lot of fun and a great honor for our entire community,” commented Lacy Gilbert, director of athletics.
Congratulations to all Wesleyan student-athletes, coaches and faculty for this incredible accomplishment.
Girls 200m free relayBoys Swim and DiveBen Vondrak- 200m and 800mBoys 400m free relayBoys 200m free relayBoys LacrosseCombined swim and dive
List of team titles:
Girls Softball
Girls Cross Country
Boys Swim & Dive
Girls Swim & Dive
Girls Lacrosse
Boys Lacrosse
Girls Tennis
Girls Track & Field
Boys Golf
List of individual titles:
Weezie Moore – Girls Cross Country
Abbey Suits – Dive
Hattie Wasmuth – Swim: 200 Medley
Max Perry – Swim: 50 Free
Ryan Cowart, Jace Neeb, JJ Neeb and Max Perry – Swim: 200 Free Relay
Ansley Chapman, MC Harrison, Vivian Hosier and Hattie Wasmuth – Swim: 200 free relay
Ryan Cowart, JJ Neeb, Max Perry and Connor Worgo – Swim: 400 free relay
Congratulations to the eight well-deserving recipients who will receive this year’s L. Keith Wood Scholarship award winners scholarship. ALTA Foundation committee members reviewed numerous applications from exceptionally talented, intelligent and community focused students to make their decisions.
To qualify for this award, candidates must have engaged in either the ALTA Junior League, participated in the Junior Challenge Ladder, or been involved in the Foundation’s START program. They had to have shown a dedication to community and volunteer service along with being able to display how tennis has assisted with their growth, both on and off the court.
Each awardee will be granted a $2,500 scholarship to support their educational endeavors and will be honored on center court during ALTA Day on July 22 at the Atlanta Open.
Here are the winners:
Isabelle Coursey – Atlanta, GA ALTA Facility: Dekalb Tennis Center Graduate of: Chamblee High School Attending: Georgia Tech
Riley Hamrick – Peachtree Corners, GA ALTA Facility: Peachtree Station Swim and Tennis Graduate of: Norcross High School Attending: University of Georgia
Athena Misewicz – Dunwoody, GA ALTA Facility: Dunwoody Country Club Graduate of: Dunwoody High Schoolz Attending: University of Georgia
Prisha Mody – Johns Creek, GA ALTA Facility: Peachtree Station Graduate of: Johns Creek High School Attending: University of Georgia
Mara Opre – Suwanee, GA ALTA Facility: Sharon Springs Park Graduate of: Lambert High School Attending: Anderson University
Ben Stone – Suwanee, GA ALTA Facility: Mayfair/ St. Clair Graduate of: Lambert High School Attending: University of Alabama
Ally Turnbough – Snellville, GA ALTA Facility: Briscoe Park Graduate of: Greater Atlanta Christian School Attending: Clark Atlanta University
Davis Wall – Duluth, GA ALTA Facility: Canterbury Woods Graduate of: Peachtree Ridge High School Attending: University of Georgia
The first Curiosity Lab Criterium took place last year on a cold, rainy day, but the weather didn’t dampen enthusiasm for the event.
The collection of Speed Week criteriums in Georgia and South Carolina kicks off Thursday, April 25, in Greenville, SC, and wraps up on Sunday, May 5, in College Park, GA.
Peachtree Corners has added many new components this year, including a Sunday time slot.
“It was a good opportunity for us to get a feel for it,” said Louis Svehla, the city’s communications director. “[We got to see] how it would work in the setup and stuff like that.”
This year’s event will also feature a running race, races for kids, food trucks, vendors and other activities for the family.
Speed Week is a premiere event on the U.S. Pro Cycling Circuit that draws cyclists worldwide, including Olympic medalists and world and national champions. In 2023, the professional men’s and women’s events drew cyclists from over 30 states and more than 20 countries.
Criterium Race in 2023
Gearing up for race day
The 2024 Curiosity Lab Criterium will take place on a course in the world-famous Curiosity Lab in Peachtree Corners, a 5G-enabled, 500-acre living laboratory ecosystem designed specifically as a proving ground for IoT, mobility and smart city technologies.
The Curiosity Lab Criterium will feature an array of innovative technologies currently being deployed to help protect vulnerable road users (VRUs). This event will also showcase the VRU technology of tomorrow as exhibited by private sector V2X companies and sensor innovators, OEMs hardware and software manufacturers, government officials, bike companies, advocacy groups and more.
“Despite it being a dreary day in the middle of the week last year, the public showed up and had a good time,” Svehla said.
“We always want people to gather and hang out with each other, especially when these events are free and really for them,” he added.
“For our first one, we were very happy with the turnout. … The vendors and the food trucks we hired for the event made their minimums, so they didn’t cost the city any money,” he explained.
Even better than last year
Event producers, sponsors and race teams also gave great feedback.
“They were ecstatic about this course. They absolutely loved it because it’s unlike any other course they have on this circuit,” he said. “They love that there were elevation changes and … it was in a different type setting, not just on a city street like others.”
The success of that first year prompted the promoters to move this year’s race to a Sunday, a weekend race. It’s the day after the Athens race and the second one in Georgia.
“It’s not really far distance,” Svehla added. “And because of that, we expect to have more professional riders, both in the men’s and women’s professional divisions. And we’re hoping that also boosts the amount of … third tier riders that are amateurs but want to compete.”
“Last year’s races started at 3 p.m., and I think the last race went off at 9 p.m.,” he said. “This year, we are starting at 10 in the morning.”
The last race starts at 8 p.m. and lasts about an hour. In between, there are several junior categories for kids from 9 to 14 years old, a 130-yard race for little kids ages 5 to 9, a foot race and many family-friendly activities.
“Although the bike races are open to whoever registers, the running races are invitational only,” Svehla said.
“They’re inviting some of the best runners from the Southeast,” he said. These people are going to run a sub-six-minute mile, minimum.”
3-D printed trophy
Taking home the gold
Last year’s custom 3-D printed trophies for the professional men and women competitors will be replicated in smaller trophies and medals for the amateur racers.
The design is the same as last year, but the spokes on the wheel are gold. Local company ZhumeisterLabs (ZLabs3D) will be making the trophies.
In addition to being a fun, family-focused event, Curiosity Lab Criterium is also a chance to showcase the best of Peachtree Corners.
“[This] allows us to showcase Curiosity Lab, its different technologies and what being an IT city means,” said Svehla.
“We also want to be a leader in working with companies to provide solutions that make being on the road or next to the roadway as safe as possible. This, hopefully, will encourage more cycling, walking, running and multi-use trails.”
Curiosity Lab Criterium 2024
What: U.S. Pro Cycling Circuit Race and Running Race When: Sunday, April 28 Time: 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Where: Curiosity Lab at Peachtree Corners City Hall (310 Technology Pkwy) Learn more about the event at peachtreecornersga.gov/385/Curiosity-Lab-Criterium-2024.
Speed Week Events April 25 through May 5
Greenville Cycling Classic Greenville, SC Thursday, April 25
Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System Criterium Spartanburg, SC Saturday, April 27
Athens Orthopedic Clinic Twilight Criterium p/b Michelob Ultra Athens, GA Sunday, April 28
Curiosity Lab Criterium Peachtree Corners, GA Tuesday, April 30
Spin the District – Union City criterium Union City, GA Wednesday, May 1 (non-speed week event)
Bonus! Track racing @ Dick Lane Velodrome East Point, GA Friday, May 3
Spin the District – Hapeville Criterium Hapeville, GA Saturday, May 4
Lagrange Cycling Classic Lagrange, GA Sunday, May 5
Speed Week Finals – Spin the District – College Park Criterium College Park, GA Sunday, May 5