Since races 10 miles or longer won 4 of the top 5 overall races, we needed to consider shorter distances with marquee events in Atlanta. Here are the top five 5Ks in Atlanta.
5. The Vinings Down Hill 5K Run for the Kids (Vinings, August) The Vinings Downhill race is unique in that it offers participants a choice of a hat or a t-shirt. This is a point-to-point race that is mostly downhill in August.
4. JLA Shamrock ‘n Roll (Atlantic Station, March) This St. Patrick’s Day themed race is organized by the ladies of Junior League Atlanta. The post-race festival provides lots of goodies including home made baked goods for all finishers.
3. Georgia Tech Pi Mile (Midtown, April) This race’s official name is the Dean Georgia C. Griffin Pi Mile 5K Road Race, but is nicknamed Pi Mile to suggest the engineering students love of the numerical value of pi, the ratio of the diameter of a circle to its circumference.
2. Run the River (Roswell, April) This race benefits HomeStretch, a ministry dedicated to fighting homelessness in Roswell. The race is known for its flat and fast course and generally sells out.
1. Chattahoochee Road Race (Sandy Springs, March) This point-to-point race is a fast race for runners qualifying for the Peachtree Road Race. Post-race festival includes beer and food. Organized by the Chattahoochee Road Runners organization.