Around the Crown 10k Completes Another Loop for Partners for Parks 

After more than a year full of delays and transitions, and hopes and fears of “when” or “if” it could actually happen, Around the Crown 10k returned for its second epic run on I-277 around uptown Charlotte. The landmark race supports Partners for Parks as its main beneficiary.

Just over 4,000 runners took part, either in person or virtually, in the 2nd-ever road race, including nearly 1,200 who signed up in the last month when the race was confirmed to be a “go.”

“It was a roller coaster of a year,” says Race Director Brian Mister. “All things considered, it went well.” The number of runners was still 80-85% of the previous race, which thrilled Mister in a year when entries into a lot of races are down significantly.

This year’s Around the Crown 10k offered a new starting time and start & finish line, too.  Runners could sleep in 1 hour longer before the 8 a.m. start, and launched from First Ward Park in uptown, which allowed for a more precise route and better access outside the hustle and bustle of football crowds near Bank of America Stadium.

“It was nice being in First Ward Park with light rail right there, 7th Street Public Market, a splash pad, Children’s Theatre, and digital screens,” says Mister. “The screens could hold images of sponsor logos, beneficiaries, and good luck messages.”

The route changed slightly, too, after Mister discovered that overpasses add a little “bump” in mileage on Strava. An extra block added to the route in South End accommodated the difference for a more-precise 6.22 miles. The new course ran approximately 2 miles inside uptown, 3 miles on the highway, and 1 mile inside uptown again, to finish up North Tryon Street.

Runners were treated to views of uptown Charlotte’s 3 sports stadiums — for the Panthers, the Hornets, and the Knights — and one additional perk they could appreciate:

“They got a major hill out of the way early,” laughed Mister. Amazing weather rounded out a perfect race day.

A day earlier, the Around the Crown 10k Expo at Camp North End allowed runners to soak up the vibe of the race before lacing up their shoes. Besides packet pick-up, Tosco Music Party and 3 other bands entertained the crowds, who could browse more than 2 dozen vendors. More than 100 kids ran a .277-mile race around the Ford Building, securing their own official race T-shirt and medal for the effort.

Charlotte marathoner Paula Pridgen won the women’s race, while Nathanael Williams of Lancaster, SC, was the men’s winner (and his wife placed 3rd for women, too!) Both winners set new ATC10k records with their times.

In addition to the overall race winners, winners were also named for segments of the race, including that hill on I-277 that runners often dread, and the entire I-277 loop. Prizes were given away for the 277th finisher and the 1,277th finisher, and four winners were randomly selected to take home a pair of Brooks running shoes. Cheers!

But once again, the big winners (besides Charlotte’s awesomeness!) were the beneficiaries of money raised by the landmark road race. More than $25,000 was split between several non-profits, with the largest share going to Partners for Parks. RunningWorks, Carolina Farm Trust, Miles for Music, Roof Above Ministries, and the Humane Society also took home a share.

In true fashion, Mister is already planning for next year’s start, tentatively scheduled for 7:30 a.m. on September 4th, 2022.

“The goal for next year is 6500-7000 entries,” he says. “We’re proving we can still host races and do it safely.” And there’s one more thing he’d like to do next time around, too —

“Next time, I want the finish line party to be bigger!”