Alpharetta man keeps 5-decade Peachtree Road Race tradition alive: "A wonderful journey"

Saturday's Peachtree Road Race is an Atlanta tradition. One Alpharetta man has built a tradition spanning over five decades of running in the race.

Seventy-four-year-old Russ Gill is preparing for his 54th Peachtree Road Race.

"Five decades! 1973 was my first Peachtree Road Race," Gill said.

He and his wife, Kim, come to the Chattahoochee River Trail in Roswell three times a week to jog and prepare for the race, sometimes with their granddaughter.

"My wife has run 41 of them. All of my children have. I have three children, and they've all run in it at different times," Gill said.

Gill is turning 75 next week. He runs a bit slower than he used to, but he says showing up is what matters.

"As you age, things start feeling different when you're running," Gill said.

His best time in the race?

"Thirty-eight minutes and so many seconds. That was early on, probably in the 1976 or 1977 timeframe," Gill said.

In recent years, he's developed a different pace.

"Because we are walk-running, it's usually around an hour and 20 minutes, an hour and 30 minutes," Gill said.

Gill says excitement and anticipation keep him coming back.

"Being able to do this with my family and friends and to check off another year. It's been a wonderful journey so far," Gill said.

He looks forward to continuing the tradition.

"As long as my legs will allow me to do it," Gill said.