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CNN Live At Daybreak
World's Largest 10K Road Race Gets Underway in Atlanta
Aired July 04, 2002 - 05:12 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Your big plans for this Fourth may just be to sit back and relax and enjoy some barbecue. But 55,000 people in Atlanta are lacing up their running shoes to sprint through town all for a T-shirt.
Randy Waters from CNN affiliate WXIA is at the starting line of the 33rd Annual Peachtree Road Race.
And I understand that this is the biggest road race of its kind in, what, the world?
RANDY WATERS, WXIA CORRESPONDENT: The biggest 10K in the world, yes, with the 55,000 runners. And many of them sprint at the beginning but are doing something else by the time they get to Piedmont Park here in Atlanta, which is the end of the race. And, in fact, the people at the back are just reaching the starting line as the world class runners have already crossed the finish line 6.2 miles away. That's how big this line of people is as they come up to the starting line.
COSTELLO: I know. I tried to get a number to participate in that race and I couldn't get one.
WATERS: Well, the old saying, hey, take a number. But that doesn't even hold around here. For the Peachtree Road Race, you can't even get a number. They're all filled up.
COSTELLO: Tell us about the security measures this year.
WATERS: Well, in a sense I can and I can't. The race organizers earlier this week, when asked about, hey, what is different -- and obviously some things have to be different this year -- they said we have not been told by City of Atlanta police exactly what they're doing differently. Although they assure us that, yes, things will be different.
We kind of assume that means more plainclothes policemen and women around here, more attention paid to the all along Peachtree Street here there is fencing that keeps the runners separate from spectators. Peachtree Street right behind me here is still open. It is not closed until 5:30 on the day of the race. And that is standard. That's the same way things are every year.
But as far as what is different this year, we haven't been told and they said that's for obvious reasons. Security people want to keep it to themselves what is different.
COSTELLO: Oh, sure.
WATERS: And even during the race and after the race, and we certainly hope we have no reason to ask security people -- quote -- "what went wrong," that we may see this whole thing unfold today and still not know afterwards what was done differently.
COSTELLO: Well, just, we just hope everyone stays safe.
WATERS: Right.
COSTELLO: You are near Centennial Park now, right? Where the...
WATERS: No, no. I'm way up Peachtree Street at the starting line. This race does not go into Centennial Olympic Park. This race goes to Piedmont Park...
COSTELLO: Oh, OK.
WATERS: ... yes, down Peachtree Street. It's 6.2 miles down to Piedmont Park here in the City of Atlanta.
COSTELLO: OK. I understand. I was going to ask you about the big fireworks show that's going to take place at Centennial Park and the security measures for that, but maybe you don't know about that at all.
WATERS: Hey, at this hour of the morning there's a lot of things I don't know.
COSTELLO: I'm with you there.
WATERS: OK.
COSTELLO: Thank you very much.
Randy Waters from our CNN affiliate WXIA in Atlanta.
WATERS: Thank you. All right, Carol.
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