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Alex Garrot: The Many Reasons an East Cobb Runner Keeps Going

Carolyn Cooper July 29, 2026

“If you run, you are already a good runner because you are doing what a runner does.” Before seventh grade, Alex Garrot arrived at Mount Bethel Christian to set up his locker and found a few friends headed to cross-country practice. They invited him along. He ran two miles, returned the next day and began a relationship with running that has lasted more than a decade. The early rewards were simple: friends, racing and chocolate

Big Peach Sizzler BreatheStrong CF Atlanta Labor Day Tradition

Big Peach Sizzler: Atlanta’s Favorite Labor Day Running Tradition with a Bigger Purpose

Carolyn Cooper July 7, 2026

If you spend enough time around Atlanta running, certain races become more than dates on a calendar. They become landmarks. The Big Peach Sizzler 10K & 5K is one of those races. It has the right ingredients: a Labor Day Monday start, a fast point-to-point course, a finish line party that actually feels like a party, and just enough late-summer Atlanta weather uncertainty to keep everyone humble. But the real story is not only the

Vicki Feldman: Coaching Strength, Science and Community at Orangetheory Fitness

Carolyn Cooper June 25, 2026

If you have spent time around Orangetheory Fitness in East Cobb or Sandy Plains in Marietta, you may have heard Vicki Feldman before you ever met her. And, no, we’re not joking about her ability to amplify her voice, though anyone who has coached group fitness since the late 1980s is adept at this. It is presence. Vicki can push one athlete toward a faster split, give another permission to back off, notice an injury

Ryne Sullivan: Coaching the Crossroads of Running, CrossFit and HYROX

Carolyn Cooper June 11, 2026

If you spend much time around the East Cobb, Roswell or Alpharetta fitness communities, there is a good chance you have heard the name Ryne Sullivan. If you are into CrossFit, you may know him as a high-level coach who has worked with serious athletes in one of the most competitive corners of the sport. If you are a runner, you may know him as someone who went from “pretty good runner by CrossFit standards”

Jason Stine and Elizabeth Greer OTP Endurance Sports Junction 311

Jason Stine & Elizabeth Greer: Building the Roswell and East Cobb Running Community

Carolyn Cooper April 20, 2026

If you spend enough time around the East Cobb or Roswell running community, certain names come up again and again: Jason Stine and Elizabeth Greer. That usually happens for a simple reason. They show up. They build things. And then, somehow, those things become traditions. Jason and Elizabeth are the co-owners and race directors of Junction 311’s Atlanta Division, the team behind some of the area’s most recognizable race experiences, including the wildly original Area

Tasty Trails: The Trail Jewels Hiding in Plain Sight in Our Backyards

Carolyn Cooper April 9, 2026

Some places make you work hard to find beauty. This is not one of them. One of the best things about living and moving around East Cobb and Roswell is that some of the most inspiring places to run, walk, hike, and clear your head are not hours away in the mountains. The trails are right here, tucked beside the Chattahoochee River, hidden behind familiar roads, and woven into the everyday rhythm of life in

Altra Running Shoes: The Story of a Weird Idea

Carolyn Cooper March 30, 2026

If you spend enough time in a run specialty store, certain brand stories start to feel larger than the shoes themselves. Altra running shoes is one of those stories. Not because it came out of a giant corporate lab. Not because a focus group said the market needed another brand. And definitely not because somebody looked at the footwear industry in 2009 and thought, “You know what this needs? More normal.” Quite the opposite. Brian

Strong Run Coach Betsy Magato Alpharetta Georgia

Meet Betsy Magato: Strong Run Coaching in Alpharetta

Carolyn Cooper March 17, 2026

If you’ve spent time in the East Cobb running community, the Roswell running community, or anywhere near the Alpharetta Women’s Half Marathon, there’s a good chance you’ve crossed paths with Betsy Magato. And if you’ve trained for that race, you’ve almost certainly felt her impact. Betsy is the founder of Strong Run Coaching, a five-time Boston Marathon finisher, a longtime student of the sport, and one of the quiet engines behind the success and momentum

Water Drop Dash: One of Metro Atlanta’s Most Beautiful Spring 5Ks

Carolyn Cooper March 12, 2026

If you’ve spent any time running around metro Atlanta, you already know that some racecourses just feel different. Some are fast.Some are crowded.Some are scenic. And then there are races like the Water Drop Dash 5K at Chattahoochee NatureCenter, where everything comes together. Scenic views. A meaningful mission. Arelaxed community vibe. And a course that might be one of the prettiest stretches ofroad you’ll ever run in the Atlanta area. On Saturday, March 21 at

Alex Garcia: The Heartbeat of Running in East Cobb

Carolyn Cooper March 5, 2026

If you have ever shown up at the Pope High School track (and Walton High School inthe years before that) before sunrise, sipped surprisingly good coffee in front of BigPeach East Cobb on a Saturday morning, or opened your inbox to find a meticulouslyplanned workout waiting for you, there is a good chance you have been impacted byEast Cobb Road Runners. And if you have been impacted by East Cobb Road Runners, you have been

Brooks Glycerin Flex: The Glycerin That Learned How To Move

Carolyn Cooper February 13, 2026

Some running shoes are born in a lab. Some are born in a boardroom. The Brooks Glycerin Flex was born in a more interesting place. It started as a quiet pattern Brooks kept hearing from runners while researching cushioning. Not the loud, obvious feedback. The little recurring comment that shows up when you’re listening closely and not just collecting survey scores: “I love the protection… but I miss feeling my foot work.” That single idea

Gary Jenkins: The Quiet Architect of Running in Georgia

Carolyn Cooper January 30, 2026

If you have ever lined up at a local 5K, argued with your GPS about what “certified” means, or wondered why every turn on a course is actually marked like someone cared… you have been living in a world that people like Gary Jenkins helped build. Gary is one of those rare figures who shaped the Atlanta running scene without needing a spotlight. He has been in the mix since the early days, directed or

Should I Be Using a Track Spike?

Carolyn Cooper January 21, 2026

If you’re new to Track & Field, track spikes can feel like one of those “everyone else knows about this except me” things. They don’t. Most athletes (and parents) show up early in the season with the same questions: Here’s the fun part: spikes are simple once you understand what they’re for and which kind matches your event. Why Spikes Exist (and why they actually work) Spikes aren’t magic. They’re just purpose-built for speed and

Polar Bear 5K: East Cobb’s Coldest (and Warmest) Tradition

Carolyn Cooper January 14, 2026

Some races earn their reputation with big hills or big crowds. The Polar Bear 5K earned its reputation by being iconically cold, then politely solving that problem for you. On Saturday, January 24, 2026, East Cobb runners and walkers will line up at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church for a race that has become a winter rite of passage. And if you have ever finished a January 5K with frozen fingers and a full heart, you

Why We Do Video Gait Analysis (And Why It’s the Most Useful and Most Fun Part of Our Fit Process)

Carolyn Cooper January 7, 2026

If you’ve ever watched your own stride in slow motion, you’ve had the same thought every NFL player has watching game film: “Wait… I do that with my foot?” Welcome to video gait analysis, the part of our fit process that blends a little science, a little art, and a surprising amount of “oh wow.” At Big Peach East Cobb, it’s also the moment when shoe fitting stops being guesswork and starts being personal. And

Eco Sneakers: From Landfill Playground To Global Shoe Lifeline

Carolyn Cooper December 11, 2025

If you have ever dropped a pair of tired running shoes in the collection bin at Big Peach East Cobb, you are part of a story that started beside a landfill and now stretches across Atlanta, the Southeast and more than a dozen countries. That story belongs to Eco Sneakers and its founder, Bobby Johnson, along with COO of Eco Sneakers, LLC and Executive Director of Eco Sneakers Foundation, Inc., Lynn McCray. This is how

What’s the Best Shoe for Plantar Fasciitis?

Carolyn Cooper November 24, 2025

(And Why That Question Is Trickier Than It Sounds) If you work in a running store long enough, you start to hear the same questions on repeat. “What’s the best shoe for plantar fasciitis?” is easily in the Top 3, right up there with “How long do my shoes last?” and “Do these come in other colors?” It’s a great question… that also happens to be a slightly impossible one. And that’s why we’re tackling

Dashing through the square 5K Marietta Holiday Tradition

Dashing Through the Square: A Marietta Holiday Tradition

Carolyn Cooper November 6, 2025

Every December, the heart of Marietta Square transforms into a scene worthy of a holiday postcard. Streets glow, bells jingle, and hundreds of runners and walkers gather for one of Cobb County’s most joyful events: Dashing Through the Square 5K. Now celebrating its 10th year, this festive 5K run/walk has become a local favorite for families, fitness enthusiasts, and anyone who loves an excuse to wear Santa hats in public before 8 a.m. How It

What’s the Best Shoe for Flat Feet?

Carolyn Cooper October 28, 2025

Let’s start with a truth bomb: asking “What’s the best shoe for flat feet?” is kind of like asking, “What’s the best car for tall people?” It’s a good question, and also a tricky one. While flat feet are a real thing, the right shoe isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer. At Big Peach East Cobb, we hear this question a lot. It’s one of the most common things people type into Google, and it’s something we

Sparkle Wellness: Build Habits, Have Fun

Carolyn Cooper October 9, 2025

If you’ve lined up for a local 5K in East Cobb or Roswell, you’ve probably seen them: abright, smiling Sparkle Wellness crew—often in pink—cheering, racing, and making thewhole event feel like a block party. This is the story behind that energy: how JacyntaHarb built a community that makes healthy habits fun, turns “I can’t” into “I did,” andkeeps showing up for our running races month after month. Who Is Jacynta Harb? Jacynta’s path didn’t start

The Science (and Art) of Shoe Fitting at Big Peach East Cobb

Carolyn Cooper September 24, 2025

Finding the right running shoe shouldn’t be guesswork. At Big Peach East Cobb, we use 2D/3D foot scanning, video gait analysis, and real-world expertise to match you with shoes that fit, feel, and perform. If you’re looking for running shoe fitting in East Cobb, you’re in the right place. Our fit process is both science-driven and a little bit of artistry. And it’s one reason why people visit us instead of just clicking “Add to Cart.”

From Obscurity to #1: The Hoka & Big Peach Story

Carolyn Cooper September 6, 2025

If you’ve visited us at Big Peach East Cobb lately, you’ve likely noticed the prominence of the iconic blue Hoka box on the floor as well as how much a presence the brand has on our footwear wall. We’ve been fitting runners in Hoka running shoes across East Cobb and Marietta since the early days—long before Bondi and Clifton became household names. This is the story of how a tiny French footwear startup and an Atlanta running

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