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

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 course, it is the purpose behind it, the people who keep it moving, and the race director helping turn a long-standing Atlanta running tradition into something even more meaningful.

Meet Shawna Gray

Shawna Gray is the Director of Programs and Events for BreatheStrong CF and the race director for the Big Peach Sizzler 10K & 5K. She joined the organization in 2022, when it was still known as Miles for Cystic Fibrosis, and stepped into the Sizzler world with experience as a runner, volunteer, nonprofit professional, and logistics guru.

Shawna describes race planning as “doing a puzzle without any border pieces.” That is about right. The Big Peach Sizzler has two start lines, one finish line, multiple municipalities, MARTA logistics, buses, volunteers, packet pickup, course safety, team needs, and a finish line celebration. Other than that, it is pretty simple.

What stands out about Shawna is not just that she manages the chaos. It is how much she cares about the experience people have inside that chaos. Her goal is refreshingly direct: she wants every participant to get what they came for and have a great time.

Why the Big Peach Sizzler Is Different

The 2026 Big Peach Sizzler returns on Labor Day Monday, September 7. The 5K starts at 7:00 a.m. near the Brookhaven MARTA Station, and the 10K starts at 7:30 a.m. near Chamblee MARTA. Both races finish in Buckhead.

The course is point-to-point, which gives the race a sense of movement and occasion. The 10K runs from Chamblee to Buckhead. The 5K runs from Brookhaven to Buckhead. Both take advantage of what Shawna calls the flatter part of Peachtree. Translation: no Cardiac Hill. We accept small mercies in Atlanta running.

The race also hits a sweet spot in size. Shawna notes that the 5K set a record in 2025 with 872 in-person registrants, and between in-person and virtual participation, the event reached about 2,100 runners and walkers. That is enough energy to feel like something is happening, but still enough space to run your own race.

The Cause Behind the Miles

The Big Peach Sizzler is the flagship fundraising and awareness event for BreatheStrong CF, an organization supporting people living with cystic fibrosis.

For most of us, Cystic Fibrosis is something we’re only vaguely aware of, so here’s a quick primer: It’s a progressive genetic disease that affects the lungs, pancreas, digestive system, and other organs. Close to 40,000 people in the United States live with CF. Recent treatments have improved life expectancy for many, but CF still has no cure and remains a serious, complex condition.

BreatheStrong CF provides direct support, including exercise grants and critical needs assistance. This is critical because movement is not just “nice to have” for many people with CF. Physical activity can support airway clearance, lung health, independence, confidence, quality of life, and reduce hospital stays. But access to activity can be expensive, and CF itself creates a heavy financial strain for families.

This is where the Sizzler becomes more than a race. Every registration supports work that helps CF warriors stay active, connected, and supported.

And for Big Peach Running Co., this cause is personal.

The Sizzler was gifted from Big Peach Running Co. to what is now BreatheStrong CF about 16 years ago. Big Peach founder Mike Cosentino served on the organization’s board for years. Big Peach has long had a personal connection to cystic fibrosis through Colin Penuel, who has worked with Big Peach for more than a decade and lives with CF. When a cause is connected to someone you know, it stops being abstract very quickly.

A Race That Welcomes More Than One Kind of Runner

One of the best parts of the Big Peach Sizzler is that it does not treat “runner” as a narrow identity.

Yes, fast people show up. PR attempts happen. The weather reached near-mythic status in 2025, with cloud cover and low humidity. In Atlanta, that is basically a weather miracle.

The Sizzler is also walker-friendly, stroller-friendly, duo-team-friendly, and welcoming to participants who want the event to be social, meaningful, or simply doable. The 5K offers an unusually generous course window because the 10K starts behind it and the course stays open longer. That makes it a great first 5K option for someone who wants to move at their own pace without feeling rushed.

The event also includes honor bibs for participants running in honor or memory of someone with CF, free in-person registration for CF warriors, and purple shirts to identify participants living with CF. The purple shirts are about function rather than ceremony. One of the more difficult realities of living with cystic fibrosis (CF) is that people with CF are generally advised to avoid close contact with one another. This guidance helps reduce the risk of cross-infection, since certain bacteria and other germs can be especially harmful when shared between people living with CF. The purple shirts help make that spacing easier while still allowing CF warriors to participate in the community. The details in an event like this are fascinating.

Teams are encouraged! Groups of 10 or more can receive a gathering space with a table at the finish area, which is a nice touch for run clubs, families, birthday crews, and the increasingly common “we started as a group chat and now somehow we all race together” crowd.

The Finish Line Is the Feeling

Ask Shawna what makes Sizzler special, and she will talk about the finish line. Music. Medals. Shirts. Awards. Family. Friends. Social groups. A real celebration.

The best proof came after the 2025 race, when Shawna finally got home, opened Instagram, and saw the Sizzler energy still going. Medal photos, videos, stories, team pictures, and people still talking about the morning days later. For a race director, that is the payoff.

How Big Peach Running Co. Helps You Get Ready

As the title sponsor of the Big Peach Sizzler, Big Peach Running Co. is proud to support an event that brings together performance, community, purpose, and a little Labor Day swagger.

Whether you are training for the 10K, walking your first 5K, chasing a Peachtree qualifier, joining a run club team, or supporting BreatheStrong CF, the right gear matters. That starts with properly fitted running shoes, plus socks, apparel, hydration, and nutrition that make sense for race morning.

If you are not sure what to wear for a warm-weather 10K or 5K, stop by Big Peach Running Co. before race day. We will help you think through footwear, comfort, fit, and the small details that can make race morning a lot more enjoyable. The Sizzler is supposed to be hard because running is hard, not because your socks are staging a tiny rebellion at mile four.

Register for the Big Peach Sizzler

The Big Peach Sizzler 10K and 5K returns Monday, September 7, 2026. Registration is open now at RunSizzler.com.

Choose the 10K, the 5K, or the virtual Sizzler on the Go! option if you cannot make it to Atlanta. Bring your run club. Bring your walking friends. Bring the family. Bring your Labor Day optimism. And bring your questions to Big Peach Running Co. before race day. We will help you get ready.

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