Runner Bill Thorn, the "Iron Man of the Peachtree" and beloved coach, dead at 96

Bill Thorn, one of the Peachtree Road Race's most iconic runners, has died at the age of 96.

The Atlanta Track Club announced Thorn's passing on Facebook, calling him "a fixture of Atlanta's running community and a living part of the history of the Peachtree Road Race."

Known as the "Iron Man of the Peachtree," Thorn watched the race go from 110 people in 1970 to the largest 10K in the world. 

He finished every Peachtree Road Race from its start in 1970 to 2022, running and walking through health problems and the COVID-19 pandemic. 

In 2023, Thorn chose to retire, saying he was "going into a new era."

"It's been really exciting over the years, but there comes a time when you have to let go," he told the Atlanta Track Club at the time.

To honor his achievement, the club named him Grand Marshal that year.

Beyond the race, Thorn was a coach at Landmark Christian School in Fairburn. He led football, track, and field, and cross country teams to 42 state championships over 64 years. He retired in 2019. The stadium now is named after him.

"The lessons he taught reached far beyond a practice field or a finish line. Perseverance through difficulty. Discipline when the work was demanding. Commitment to something greater than oneself. These lessons helped prepare his athletes for the responsibilities, challenges, and opportunities of life," the school wrote on its website.

The school will host a memorial service for Thorn from 2 to 4 p.m. at the campus Brickhouse on Nov. 1.