Race #468 -- Around the Crown 10k -- Charlotte, NC -- 09/01/19


This was the inaugural year of the Around the Crown 10k and it was quite the extravaganza. There was a ton of hype in the months leading up to the race, and when race day came the hype seemed to pay off. There were around 4,000 finishers, making it one of Charlotte's biggest races in its first year. The big draw was that I-277, the loop around uptown Charlotte, was being closed off for the first time to allow runners to race on it.

I arrived over an hour before the start but so did a couple thousand other people. I could have parked in the dirt lot just below the baseball stadium for six bucks but decided to go around the block and see if I could do better on parking. That was a bad idea and I fell in line with everybody else going into the big parking garage closest to the stadium. Not only did it cost me $12 to park there, but after the race it took me an hour and a half to get out of the garage! That's a mistake I won't make next year.

The race itself was a lot of fun. I was a little apprehensive at the race start with so many other runners in close proximity, but I didn't get tripped up and I didn't see anybody else have a problem, so it's all good. A mile or so into the race the runners were spread out comfortably where I was, ahead of the biggest part of the crowd. Just to see such a huge crowd of runners along I-277 was pretty exciting and reminded me of some of the huge races I've been in (Cooper River Bridge, NYC Marathon, etc.).

I managed to finish 1st in the 65-69 age group with a time of 46:41, but honestly the course was a little short, and if it was correct I would have probably been around 2 or 3 minutes slower. Still, I think I would have been under 50 minutes and that's good for me right now.

I'd definitely run this race next year if they have it, but next time I'll park somewhere else. I'll also register early if it's cheap. Early registration was cheap this year, but as race day came closer the prices went up a lot. I heard that registration at the expo was $60, way too expensive, but some folks told me they registered early for $25. My registration was $40 a few weeks before the race.

Pretty exciting seeing this many runners on I-277!


Race Name: Around the Crown 10k

Location:  Charlotte, North Carolina

Date: September 1, 2019

Race Rating:  100

Winners:



Course:



Elevation Per Mile:



Weather at Start:


Click Here for Race Results

Click Here for FREE Race Photos

 Click Here for Race Website

Finish Line Video:



My Stats:

Time:  46:41
Pace:  7:31
Age Group: 1 of 26
Overall:  439 of 3970
Average Heart Rate:  157
Maximum Heart Rate:  167
Age Grade Percentage:  76.46%




***************
* RACE RATING *
***************

RACE COURSE
3 - Chip & Gun Timing: (3 points if yes)
2 - Water Stops: (0)none  (2)normal  (5)extras [Gu, sports drink, etc.]
1 - Course Marking:  (0)bad  (1)good
4 - Course Scenery:  (0-5) 1=bad  and 5=fantastic
1 - Mile Markers: (0)poor or none  (1)normal  (2)with clocks or time called out
2 - Volunteers:  (0)too few  (2)good
8 - Finish line: (0-9)   0=bad  and 9=spectacular!
0 - Certified Course: (0)no  (2) yes
0 - Correct Distance: (0)no  (2)yes (About a quarter mile short!)
1 - Partly or fully on unpaved roads:  (0)yes  (1)no

REGISTRATION
2 - Cost:  (0)expensive  (2)reasonable  (5)cheap! (Reasonable IF you signed up early)
0 - Race Day Registration:  (0)no  (3)yes

RESULTS
2 - Posted online within 24 hours:  (0)no  (2)yes
1 - Easy to find results:  (0)no  (1)yes

AGE GROUPS
2 - 3 deep awards: (2)yes (0 for anything less)
5 - 5-year age groups (5 points) (0 for anything less)
1 - 14 and under group (1)
1 - 65+ group (1)
1 - 70+ group (1)
2 - Top Overall M/F:  (0)none; (1) first only; (2)top 3 or better
2 - Masters Category(40+): (0)no  (2)yes
0 - Grand Masters Category (50+):  (0)no  (3)yes
0 - Senior Grand Masters Category: (0)no  (5)yes

AWARDS
5 - Overall Winner Awards: (0)none  (2)yes  (5)excellent
2 - Age Group Awards: (0)none  (2)yes  (5)excellent
0 - Door Prizes or Drawing: (0-9)
5 - Finisher Medals for All Finishers: (0)no  (3)yes  (5)really cool medals

POST RACE
4 - Food for Race Participants: (0-10 with 5 being average)
9 - Entertainment:  (0)no  (1-9)yes
2 - Finisher times posted after race:  (0)no  (2)yes

REST ROOMS
0 - Porta Potties:  (0)no  (1)limited, long lines  (2)plentiful
2 - Indoor Restrooms: (0)no  (1)limited, long lines  (2)plentiful

T-SHIRTS
2 - T-Shirts: (0)no  (2)yes
3 - Design: (1-5)
2 - Material Quality: (1-3)
0 - Discount for no-shirt option:  (0)no (2)yes

PHOTOGRAPHY
0 - Professional Photography: (0)no  (5)yes
x - Prices: (1)expensive  (3)reasonable  (5)cheap
10 - Free Photographs (newspaper, etc.):  (0)no  (1-10)yes
2 - Finish Line Video: (0)no  (2)yes

PARKING
2 - Close to Start:  (2)yes  (0)no
2 - Close to Finish:  (2)yes  (0)no
2 - Plenty of spaces:  (2)yes  (0)no
0 - Free Parking:  (2)yes  (0)no

OTHER
0 - Shelter from Inclement Weather (needed or not): (0)no  (2)yes
5 - Swag (free socks, water bottles, etc.): (0)no  (2)yes, some  (5)excellent
0 - Part of race series or Grand Prix:  (0)no  (2)yes
0 - Kids Fun Run: (0)no   (2)yes
x - Miscellaneous not covered above: (-10 to +10)

TOTAL:  100

Before the race with Judy Caswell, Ashley Amirkhanian, and Cindy Pomeroy.

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