Registration for Shepherd Center AJC Peachtree Road Race Wheelchair Division Now Open

After going virtual in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the AJC Peachtree Road Race will return in person on Saturday, July 3, and Sunday, July 4, in 2021. Also returning in person is Shepherd Center’s Wheelchair Division, which will host the best wheelchair racers in the world on July 4.

“We’re thrilled to once again welcome an elite field of racers to Shepherd Center’s Wheelchair Division of the AJC Peachtree Road Race,” said Rebecca Washburn, MS, manager of Shepherd Center’s Beyond Therapy^® and wellness programs. “These athletes are an incredible display of dedication, perseverance and athleticism as they speed up Cardiac Hill and past Shepherd Center. This race will be particularly special because it marks both our 40^th year and a return to in-person racing.”

This year, the AJC Peachtree Road Race will award up to $40,000 in bonus prize money to foot racers and wheelchair athletes who break an event record at the race’s 52nd running on July 3 or 4, 2021, Atlanta Track Club has announced. Any male or female winner who wins their division and sets a Peachtree record will receive a $10,000 bonus along with prize money. All four event records were set in the race’s 50^th running in 2019.

“The $40,000 in bonus prizes at this year’s race for both foot and wheelchair racers furthers our commitment to promoting equality among elite runners and wheelchair athletes,” said Washburn.

Online registration for the annual AJC Peachtree Road Race Wheelchair Division, set for July 4, 2021, is now open. Participants can register online at shepherd.org/PeachtreeRoadRace. Participants must complete an online application and pay a $35 per person registration fee by June 10, 2021. 

Every July 4, Shepherd Center sponsors the Wheelchair Division of the AJC Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta, where world-class athletes compete in this annual 10K event. The Wheelchair Division athletes are the first off the start line, following the course set for the AJC Peachtree Road Race foot racers – 6.2 miles down Peachtree Road, starting at Lenox Road and ending on 10th Street at Piedmont Park in Midtown Atlanta. While this year’s race will be in-person, special precautions are being implemented due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This race is known as the world’s largest 10K, but this year, our goal is to be the safest,” said Rich Kenah, the race director and Executive Director of Atlanta Track Club. "As planning continues, we will remain in constant communication with our medical team and the city of Atlanta to ensure all in attendance feel confident that their 4^th of July celebration was both memorable and responsible."

The Club has commissioned a COVID-19 task force lead by AJC Peachtree Road Race Co-Medical Director Jonathan Kim, M.D. The task force will regularly meet to assess the current conditions and adjust event mitigation efforts accordingly. Current mitigation efforts include extended race time and limited field, strictly enforcing face coverings for all in attendance when not running or walking; hydration stations along the course will be self-serve and post-race gatherings in Piedmont Park like the Atlanta Track Club Member Party will be suspended at this time.

For updates regarding Shepherd Center’s Wheelchair Division of the AJC Peachtree Road Race, please visit shepherd.org/PeachtreeRoadRace.