Boas, tiaras at finish line
The Divas Half Marathon and 5K national race series arrives in Peachtree City this weekend, and even before the sea of tutus and tiaras floods the town’s cart path system, records are being set by this event. An estimated 4,000 runners and their entourages of family and friends had booked all but 14 of the city’s 837 hotel rooms by Monday evening.
“To my knowledge there has not been any single event that has filled our hotels like this, or has generated this much excitement and interest in our beautiful city,” Mayor Vanessa Fleisch said Tuesday. “We are all working together to make this weekend a success for Peachtree City.
“I can’t wait to see 4,000 women in pink running the beautiful cart paths of Peachtree City,” Fleisch said. “It will be fantastic!”
Peachtree City joins cities like Long Island, San Francisco, N. Myrtle Beach, Branson and St. Augustine as one of only 10 cities in the country to host the Divas race series. Although Peachtree City hosts two large lacrosse tournaments as well as soccer tournaments, no other event has the kind of impact this race is expected to have, according to Nancy Price, executive director of Peachtree City’s Convention and Visitors Bureau.
“This is the largest race Peachtree City has ever hosted, and is significant because we have recruited them here,” Price said Tuesday. “All other events have been organized by local residents. While we recognize that those are an important part of why Peachtree City is so special, we also want to showcase our unique community to the rest of the world and what better way then to experience the path system and lifestyle that has brought us so much notoriety.”
The Divas race attracts participants who “have money they don’t mind spending on shopping and dining,” Price said. Many participants are travelling here from across the country for a “girlfriends’ getaway” weekend, Price notes. After the race they’ll be shopping, dining and visiting attractions in the area, including a Brett Michaels concert at The Fred Saturday night planned specifically to coincide with this event.
Similar Divas events have generated an average of $2.8 to $3 million in direct economic impact, according to Robert Pozo, president and CEO of Continental Event & Sports Management Group, LLC, the creator of the series. The total attendance during the three-day event, which includes a health and fitness expo, is expected to be approximately 15,000.
Every participant brings an average of 1.5 people with them, Pozo said. These are family and friends who are not participating in the run, but are indeed spending money in the area. In addition, between 400 and 500 volunteers will be associated with the event, and a couple thousand are expected to come out and cheer.
Runners from all 50 states are registered with more than three-fourths of them flying in or driving at least one and a half hours to get here, according to Pozo. The money they spend is expected to have an indirect economic impact between $4.2 and $4.5 million.
The race will start at Shakerag Knoll. Participants will enjoy various entertainment stations along the course and a chance to run by the famous boa and tiara station. Flowers, bubbly and shiny finisher medals are awarded to participants as they cross the finish line.
Local residents have demonstrated their “buy-in” and support for this event by filling nearly all of the volunteer positions needed, according to Price.
The event itself will present traffic delays and rolling road closures for a few hours on Saturday morning, according to Diva officials. Both the 5K and Half Marathon begin and end at Shakerag Knoll, with the first starting time at 7:15 a.m.
Traffic will be affected for a short period starting about 15 minutes before the first runner enters a section and ending about 15 minutes after the last runner leaves that section, according to officials. Runners will be off most roads and on the cart path by 9:10 a.m. and Peachtree City safety officials will reopen the roads as soon as race operations cease.
Certain sections of the cart paths will be affected from 8:10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and residents are asked to find alternate path routes while runners are on the path. Race officials have posted a detailed map of the race route, showing the times when runners will be in the different sections of the race route. The map with this story also can be found at www.runlikeadiva.com/closures.
Race officials ask residents and businesses to follow the detours and instructions from race representatives to ensure a safe event for the participants and the residents. They also suggest planning an earlier start during those times to avoid delays. Residents can contact race organizers with any questions via email to community@runlikeadiva.com.
All events will conclude no later than 11:30 a.m. Below, graphic of the race course provided by the Peachtree City Convention and Visitors Bureau.. (A pdf downloadable version is attached as a file at the end of this story.)
Roads affected by Divas race
Here are roads that will be affected by the Divas route during the designated times:
McIntosh Trail from Fishers Luck to Skiff Trace: 6 a.m. – noon
McIntosh Trail from Skiff Trace to South Peachtree Parkway: 6 a.m. – 8 a.m.
McIntosh Trail from South Peachtree Parkway to Robinson Road (westbound lane only): 7:30 a.m. – 8:10 a.m.
Robinson Road between McIntosh Trail and Crosstown Drive (southbound lane only): 7:35 a.m. – 8:25 a.m.
Robinson Road between Crosstown Drive and South Peachtree Parkway (southbound lane only): 7:40 a.m. – 8:45 a.m.
Robinson Road between South Peachtree Parkway and Holly Grove Road (southbound lane only): 7:50 a.m. – 9 a.m.
Holly Grove Road between Robinson Road and Aster Ridge Trace (southbound lane only): 7:55 a.m. – 9:10 a.m.
Further, there will be some additional delays on Cameron Trail at the cart path crossing from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and on McIntosh Trail at the cart path crossing just west of Robinson Road from 8:35 a.m. to 10:35 a.m., as runners will be crossing through these areas during those times.
