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CNN Live Today

Atlanta Celebrates the Fourth With the Peachtree Road Race

Aired July 04, 2003 - 11:26   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.


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: A July 4th tradition in Atlanta is the Peachtree Road Race, and it is the world's largest 10K, and about 55,000 runners jammed the course this morning. The fastest men and women have already crossed the finish line.
And CNN's David Mattingly has a live update for us.

Now, David, because the fastest men and women have already crossed, are there still folks on the course?

MATTINGLY: I hope not because the streets are already open to traffic, and so it could...

WHITFIELD: OK. I saw cars back there.

MATTINGLY: That's right. It could be causing some problems for them if there are any stragglers behind.

But 55,000 people taking to the streets today is a huge Atlanta tradition for the 4th of July. A big, big mass of people at the beginning of the race. We have some video to show you. The 4th of July.

The fastest times this year for men and women were set by runners from Kenya. This race always attracting top international athletes as well as some Olympians. No records were set today.

But the real story, as always, is in the tens of thousands of casual athletes running the race for any variety of reasons. The field of 55,000 was so large that the winners had already crossed the finish line before the last racers had even started.

Now you've heard the phrase been there, done that, got the T- shirt. That definitely applies to the Peachtree Road Race. We have three racers here who got some T-shirts they'll show us.

Well, get them out, guys. Let's take a look at them.

First with me is Kent Kelsey.

This is the fourth time you've been in this race. Tell me -- what does that T-shirt mean to you?

KENT KELSEY, PEACHTREE ROAD RACE PARTICIPANT: It's -- it's a lot of fun. It's a great way to celebrate the 4th of July. A little -- take a little pride in your country and just get together with a lot of people and have fun.

MATTINGLY: Well, that's a nice looking shirt. A lot of sweat goes into this.

Shira Friend, this is your first Peachtree Road Race. You've got to be proud of that.

SHIRA FRIEND, PEACHTREE ROAD RACE PARTICIPANT: I'm very proud of that. This is -- this is definitely a big goal. This is my first 10K. And I -- I actually just got a number three days ago. So this is -- this is great. I really enjoyed it, and I will be doing this again and collecting these T-shirts from here on out.

MATTINGLY: Fifty-five-thousand runners. Did you feel like you were getting swallowed in the crowd out there?

FRIEND: At first, yes, and then it kind of thinned out. It was -- you know, it was great, and -- you know, just kept the pace, and, you know, everybody else did wonderful.

MATTINGLY: And now a veteran of the race, Bruce Zavodney.

You are in your sixth Peachtree run this year. Do they get better each time?

BRUCE ZAVODNEY, PEACHTREE ROAD RACE PARTICIPANT: Yes, they -- it's nice to see the different designs. It's nice to earn it. It's nice to know you got it.

MATTINGLY: You're a seasoned athlete. You run triathlons. You run marathons. Why did you come out today?

ZAVODNEY: For the fun of it, being in the crowd, seeing the support. It's a great event. It's just a lot of fun.

MATTINGLY: That's what it's all about, in addition to all the competitiveness. It's a lot of fun. A lot of people come out here just for that.

It's a very common phrase in Atlanta to hear someone say that I'm going to get in shape for the Peachtree. Obviously, a lot of people did. Fifty-five thousand hitting the streets today -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Yes, David, and you wear that T-shirt like a badge of honor. You know, of course, I don't have the honor of having one of those T-shirts yet. I keep talking myself out of it, but it's an incredible tradition.

MATTINGLY: That's right. It's one of the great things about that T-shirt. You have to cross the finish line to get it. So it is very highly prized. In fact, I could not talk the race organizers into giving me one just to show it to you. That's why we had to corral these fine people to show us theirs.

WHITFIELD: All right. That's right. You've got to be a bona fide finish crosser in order to get that T-shirt. All right, David. Thanks very much.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com





Race>


Aired July 4, 2003 - 11:26   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: A July 4th tradition in Atlanta is the Peachtree Road Race, and it is the world's largest 10K, and about 55,000 runners jammed the course this morning. The fastest men and women have already crossed the finish line.
And CNN's David Mattingly has a live update for us.

Now, David, because the fastest men and women have already crossed, are there still folks on the course?

MATTINGLY: I hope not because the streets are already open to traffic, and so it could...

WHITFIELD: OK. I saw cars back there.

MATTINGLY: That's right. It could be causing some problems for them if there are any stragglers behind.

But 55,000 people taking to the streets today is a huge Atlanta tradition for the 4th of July. A big, big mass of people at the beginning of the race. We have some video to show you. The 4th of July.

The fastest times this year for men and women were set by runners from Kenya. This race always attracting top international athletes as well as some Olympians. No records were set today.

But the real story, as always, is in the tens of thousands of casual athletes running the race for any variety of reasons. The field of 55,000 was so large that the winners had already crossed the finish line before the last racers had even started.

Now you've heard the phrase been there, done that, got the T- shirt. That definitely applies to the Peachtree Road Race. We have three racers here who got some T-shirts they'll show us.

Well, get them out, guys. Let's take a look at them.

First with me is Kent Kelsey.

This is the fourth time you've been in this race. Tell me -- what does that T-shirt mean to you?

KENT KELSEY, PEACHTREE ROAD RACE PARTICIPANT: It's -- it's a lot of fun. It's a great way to celebrate the 4th of July. A little -- take a little pride in your country and just get together with a lot of people and have fun.

MATTINGLY: Well, that's a nice looking shirt. A lot of sweat goes into this.

Shira Friend, this is your first Peachtree Road Race. You've got to be proud of that.

SHIRA FRIEND, PEACHTREE ROAD RACE PARTICIPANT: I'm very proud of that. This is -- this is definitely a big goal. This is my first 10K. And I -- I actually just got a number three days ago. So this is -- this is great. I really enjoyed it, and I will be doing this again and collecting these T-shirts from here on out.

MATTINGLY: Fifty-five-thousand runners. Did you feel like you were getting swallowed in the crowd out there?

FRIEND: At first, yes, and then it kind of thinned out. It was -- you know, it was great, and -- you know, just kept the pace, and, you know, everybody else did wonderful.

MATTINGLY: And now a veteran of the race, Bruce Zavodney.

You are in your sixth Peachtree run this year. Do they get better each time?

BRUCE ZAVODNEY, PEACHTREE ROAD RACE PARTICIPANT: Yes, they -- it's nice to see the different designs. It's nice to earn it. It's nice to know you got it.

MATTINGLY: You're a seasoned athlete. You run triathlons. You run marathons. Why did you come out today?

ZAVODNEY: For the fun of it, being in the crowd, seeing the support. It's a great event. It's just a lot of fun.

MATTINGLY: That's what it's all about, in addition to all the competitiveness. It's a lot of fun. A lot of people come out here just for that.

It's a very common phrase in Atlanta to hear someone say that I'm going to get in shape for the Peachtree. Obviously, a lot of people did. Fifty-five thousand hitting the streets today -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Yes, David, and you wear that T-shirt like a badge of honor. You know, of course, I don't have the honor of having one of those T-shirts yet. I keep talking myself out of it, but it's an incredible tradition.

MATTINGLY: That's right. It's one of the great things about that T-shirt. You have to cross the finish line to get it. So it is very highly prized. In fact, I could not talk the race organizers into giving me one just to show it to you. That's why we had to corral these fine people to show us theirs.

WHITFIELD: All right. That's right. You've got to be a bona fide finish crosser in order to get that T-shirt. All right, David. Thanks very much.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com





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