It takes massive amounts of planning to get The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race — dubbed the World’s Largest 10K — off the starting block.
This year's running marks a half-century since "Original 110" embarked upon the 6.2-mile race down Peachtree Road on Independence Day 1970.
That 110 has ballooned to an estimated 60,000 racers in 2011 and has stayed about that size since.
What does it take to accommodate all them and the thousands of spectators? We asked Rich Kenah, executive director of the host organization, Atlanta Track Club, on Wednesday.
READ | How big can it get? The AJC Peachtree Road Race prepares for its 50th
• About 4,000 volunteers are required between the Anthem Peachtree Junior on Wednesday and the full AJC Road Race on Thursday. The Peachtree Junior is usually held in May, but Kenah said organizers wanted to do something special for the next generation of runners on this 50th year.
• As the AJC has previously reported, a quarter of those 4,000 volunteers will be at the finish area to give runners water, food information and T-shirts. Other volunteer duties include 700 people at the starting area to help the waves of runners and 300 medics. Runners can also expect about 550 hydration stations.
READ | Couple engaged at 2018 Peachtree finish line returns to run again
• There are roughly 100,000 water bottles that will be handed out between the two days, Kenah said. They will be Dasani — you know, the water brand of hometown Coca-Cola.
• And what happens to those plastic bottles? Kenah said that, for the first time, they will recycle those water bottles into 50 to 100 park benches that will be placed along the Atlanta BeltLine and in Atlanta Public Schools facilities. Kenah previously said that there will be about 20 volunteers on the “Green Team” promoting recycling.
• Staying hydrated on a hot summer day is important. Also critical is the 1,200 portable toilets along the course and race area.
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