Big Feet, Small Ego
The motto of the Boilermaker 15k, “The world’s premier 15k event,” is “More than a race.” Truthfully, it made me scoff a bit when I read it on signage posted at the starting line. While that tagline may sound like a cliché, and indistinguishable from similar sentiments echoed by hundreds of other races, I discovered what that motto can mean, during the 47th running of what is, arguably, an iconic race.
Despite nearly two decades of running, I’d never registered for a 10k race. I’ve conquered everything from 5Ks to marathons, yet the 6.2-mile length was the one distance that eluded me. That all changed this past weekend, when I ran Richmond’s Monument Avenue 10k through the scenic streets of Virginia’s capital city steeped in American history.
Beautiful race setting aside, it wasn’t why I decided to run the race. It was another runner—a newer runner—who forced my hand, or, rather, feet into racing.
How do you choose races to run? If you’re like me, you probably don’t consider a race’s impact on a community, its residents, or the planet. Guided by three pillars—inclusivity, sustainability, and elevating the city of Charlotte—Brian Mister, co-founder and race director of the Around the Crown 10K (ATC10K), provides a shining example of the transformative impact a race can have beyond race day.
I chatted with Mister about what makes the race unique and how it empowers the running community both in and outside the city.
Paying for experiences is more likely to lead to happiness than buying material goods. A problematic finding for running shoe addicts like me. But when you consider the opportunities presented by a good pair of running shoes, you realize the conundrum: buying running shoes is a material purchase that leads to the best experiences life can offer. Here’s how to justify to your significant other, family, and to yourself, that buying endless pairs of running shoes is a smart investment.
I see many runners chronicle what they wish they had known before starting to run. After reflecting on my own running journey, I came to a rather powerful realization…
And we were off! At the front of the starting line with no other racers in sight, my two brothers, our friend, and I began the Shipyard Old Port Half …