On a normal day at Suwanee’s Town Center, one may see folks strolling from shop to shop or perhaps grabbing a bite to eat at one of the fine eating establishments. But if you happen to be there on a Tuesday evening, you may notice a lot more people in the area. That’s because of the Big Peach Running Co. and its Tuesday run group.
Big Peach joined the shops, restaurants and other businesses in Town Center in September 2011 and held the first official Big Peach run just a mere few weeks after the store’s opening on Oct. 18, with about 69 runners who donned their running shoes and hit the Suwanee Greenway.
“We started this run group with the hope of providing a safe way to bring the community together for exercise and camaraderie with all ability levels welcomed,” said Kermitt Bowen, guest advocate and run group leader.
And since that first group run, the number has grown to an average of 150-200 runners at different ability levels ranging anywhere from a six minute per mile pace to a 15 minute pace.
Jeff Rainwater, general manager for the Suwanee location, said they accommodate the number of runners at different levels by organizing runners into time groups, very much like a large race, and each group is released to start in 30 second intervals with the fastest runners starting first. Rainwater said by starting in intervals it helps to ensure there’s not a bottleneck of runners on the boardwalk and on the Greenway.
On Sept. 11, the group will have a unique opportunity to be part of a special event when Runner’s World, one of the leading magazines dedicated to the sport of running, comes to the group run in partnership with the American Cancer Society with the goal of bringing more awareness to ACS’s DetermiNATION endurance training and fundraising program. Nathan Haskins, manager of the store at Town Center, said DetermiNATION provides the training, coaching, support and encouragement to get you to the finish line of a half marathon, marathon or triathlon and, as a participant, you have the opportunity to raise money for cancer research. “…We are extremely excited to be partnering with them,” Haskins added.
Rainwater said the hope for the run group is to continue to provide the community with a safe, enjoyable and encouraging place to be active, while also serving
as a way to continue growing and encouraging an active lifestyle in the Gwinnett County area.
Plans are to keep the runs interesting with periodic events such as scavenger hunts and poker runs.
“I think what makes this group so special is a combination of things: the park and the greenway, never having to run alone and being able to meet new people,” Bowen said. “It’s turned into a great community event!”
The company also has groups meeting regularly at the Brookhaven, Marietta and Decatur locations.
For more information, find the group page on Facebook.
Join the Big Peach Run every Tuesday night @ 6:30pm at Town Center Park
