We’re so happy it’s Spring! We not only love the weather and want to go for a run, but it’s time for spring running programs for the kids. One of our favorites started right here in Charlotte – Girls On The Run. The organization now serves more than 200-thousand girls a year in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. It teaches more than just running, too – it teaches social and emotional skills, confidence, and good life habits, to name a few. Joining us today on Running Around Charlotte ar...
May 03, 2022•19 min
We’re excited about our remaining races in the 6 Pack Race Series and the Novant Health Charlotte Marathon. One reason is, they’re great races and we have a lot of fun. Another – and even better reason – is the money we can raise for a lot of good causes around our region. Our Sponsors are an important part of making that happen, and this year, Cortland Apartment Living joins the party as a sponsor, with a $1,000 donation to the named beneficiary at each race! They’re also adding a little fun wi...
Apr 26, 2022•17 min
We welcome runners from every background at the Novant Health Charlotte Marathon, and choose Ambassadors who reflect that, too. Our next guest on the Running Around Charlotte podcast is a husband and father of two, who hails from the Bronx – but he’s been around the world serving in the U.S. Army, and also found the time to give back to the community he lives in now – Camden, South Carolina – while pursuing his MBA. Sounds like he has a full plate! Let’s learn more about Xavier Vargas, who you’l...
Apr 19, 2022•21 min
One of the number one questions for any runner is how to FUEL. Yes, what to eat, when to eat it, and how much to eat for the distance you want to run in training or a race. If you feel like you’re just going from experience or trying to figure out a complex mathematical formula for every meal, we get it. Our next guest on the Running Around Charlotte podcast gets it too – and she’s got the knowledge to help! Ashley Muschiatti is a Registered Dietician and Performance Specialist with Novant Healt...
Apr 12, 2022•23 min
April is Autism Awareness Month, and if you’ve never known a young athlete on the spectrum, we’d like to introduce you to one. Autistic athletes are not only capable, but can also be fast! And Marshall Love is a great example of that-- just one year after he began running, he took first at the Let Me Run 5k! He is part of a pretty substantial community of runners who are on the spectrum, and Marshall and his dad Hugh are joining us on the Running Around Charlotte podcast to tell us their story.
Apr 05, 2022•20 min
If you have a pet, you know it’s part of the family! But you also know how hard it is to capture their spirit in a photo, because the best moments often come out a blur – it’s not easy to make them sit still when they’re being cute. So how do you turn a treasured glimpse of your pet into a keepsake? Our next guest on the Running Around Charlotte podcast can help. Pet Portraits by Bethany can help you slow down the motion and capture your awesome BFF – best 4-footed friend – forever. And the arti...
Mar 29, 2022•23 min
We know marathoners are a special breed – it takes a lot of time, energy, and dedication to train for a 26-mile race and be any good at it. But let’s quadruple that distance for a moment, and consider the energy, sweat, and *we’re pretty sure,* TEARS that come with a 100-mile race. If you’re good, that’s 20-some hours of running at once. We’re joined today on the Running Around Charlotte Podcast today by one of those very special people, who travels the world competing in Ultramarathons. Even be...
Mar 15, 2022•29 min
We always hear that age slows us down, but our next guest on Running Around Charlotte defies that idea. Donny Forsyth is one of the top Masters triathletes in the country, winning his age group at races all over the U.S. with his team, Triple Threat Racing. In December, he competed in the XTerra World Championships, and hasn’t stopped there. It’s a good thing he owns a shoe store, with all of the rubber he wears out! Yes, Donny is one of the owners of Charlotte Running Company, which has 5 locat...
Mar 08, 2022•29 min
Want a fun, fresh breakfast? The answer is apparently, “Yes,” because a small house-turned-restaurant that first served breakfast in Huntersville in 2005, now has more than 30 locations across 6 states! Yum! If you live in the Charlotte area, chances are you’ve eaten at a Famous Toastery. And if you hurry, you can sign up for the Famous Toastery Shamrock 4-Miler coming up March 12th. Get your green on and go run! It’s a really fun, “top o’ the morning” event in a sea of green. Lorna Martinez is ...
Mar 01, 2022•17 min
We all make resolutions at some point – and we often make them in the New Year, whether we speak them out loud or not. Tops on those lists are diet and exercise, which many of us follow through on, though not always with the desired results. We get it. But our next guest on Running Around Charlotte made a plan and stuck to it. John Gerst is a preacher, an auto-finance guy, a husband, and a father… so we know his time is not his own. But in 5 years, he’s gone from 352 pounds of praise and love to...
Feb 22, 2022•22 min
We love all of those ‘running gifts’ we got for the holidays, but you’re not alone if you didn’t get everything you were looking for under your tree. Our next guest can help! Chris Elkins owns Run for Your Life – a store we’re very familiar with here at the Running Around Charlotte podcast – and he’s here to tell us what the hot trends are this year, and what folks like you are looking for.
Feb 14, 2022•24 min
All runners everywhere were HORRIFIED to hear what happened to Ahmaud Arbery nearly 2 years ago, in February 2020. He was simply doing what so many of us do – taking a run through a beautiful neighborhood, taking in the local scenery with awe and curiosity. Except HE was chased down and shot, as 3 neighbors assumed he was there to commit a crime instead of just running. The outcry led to a lot of social justice movements, and the leader of one of those is with us today on the Running Around Char...
Feb 08, 2022•22 min
If there was ever a guy who could “walk the walk” AND “talk the talk,” it’s our next guest on the Running Around Charlotte Podcast. Cornell Jones has a resume of work at the Charlotte Hornets and ESPN, and can “talk the talk” about sports. He’s also a runner – and he’s “walking the walk” by bringing hundreds of runners along with him on his daily runs, both in person and across the country. It all started with a New Year's Day decision 3 years ago - to run a mile a day, every day. Yes, Every. Si...
Feb 01, 2022•19 min
We know running can be good for a lot of things at any age -- health and fitness, our minds, and our confidence, to name a few. So when a running program for girls spread like wildfire across the nation, one of their coaches here in Charlotte thought something similar would be good for boys. Working on a degree in Sports Science opened Ashley Armistead’s eyes to the role mental and emotional health play in overall wellness. As a running coach and mom of two boys, she was aware of the “Boy Code” ...
Jan 25, 2022•23 min
One of the best-known charity fundraisers in Charlotte rides in circles every July in Myers Park. And this year, the 24 Hours of Booty celebrates 20 years of rounding the famous Booty Loop to raise money for cancer navigation services at Atrium Health. If you know of the 24 Hours of Booty, you probably know its founder, Spencer Lueders. But did you know he’s also an engineer, attorney, entrepreneur, business owner, and former D-1 soccer player? There’s a lot to Spencer, and we’re honored to have...
Jan 18, 2022•23 min
You’ve heard us say it before – it was really nice to be back under the sunshine and crisp fall air of the Carolinas at our in-person Novant Health Charlotte Marathon this year. We had a great turnout for the marathon, half-marathon, and 5k … and our women’s winner was a name that should be familiar to runners across the Carolinas. Mimi Smith was first over the line at 2 hours and 48 minutes, and if her name sounds familiar, it’s because she ran cross-country and track for the Wake Forest Demon ...
Jan 11, 2022•22 min
We hear some incredible stories in the running community about the life-altering effects of running, but this one will blow you away! Jason Gardner was always the “big kid” -- you know, a little extra hefty. At his heaviest, about 10 years ago, he was 426 pounds! He decided to make a change. It started with diet and exercise… and now includes running. We’ll let him tell you how he did it -- and where he ended up in his “1 man, 1 year, 150” personal goal.
Jan 04, 2022•24 min
If your back hurts, everything hurts. And if you’re one of 65 million Americans who suffer from back pain, you know how important it is to get relief. A chiropractor can help! Whether you’re a serious runner or just a weekend warrior, your back will need care to keep it strong and healthy so you can stay fit. The Novant Health Charlotte Marathon is proud to partner with one of the premier chiropractic clinics in the Carolinas -- Greenapple Sports and Wellness. Dr. Doug Bradberry is an athlete hi...
Dec 28, 2021•20 min
Running a marathon is tough, and training for it can be a real challenge -- We know that, right? Now imagine training for a long race or a triathlon if you are visually challenged. How would you do it? You would need a great training partner and coach, for sure. In Charlotte, you’re in good hands. Para Guides offers a training program for athletes at any level of fitness and ability, who need guidance because of a visual disability. Shannon Houlihan was inspired to start Para Guides in 2017 afte...
Dec 14, 2021•21 min
It was great to be back! We’re talking -- of course -- about the Novant Health Charlotte Marathon. After a year of running virtually because of COVID, it was really nice to be back under the sunshine and crisp fall air of the Carolinas at our in-person race. We had a great turnout for the marathon, half-marathon, and 5k … and we had a new winner, too! Adam Jones crossed the finish line first in 2 hours and 23 minutes, and we bet we’re going to hear his name a lot more now. He was a runner at bot...
Dec 07, 2021•21 min
Many of us have had a hard 2021. Our Ambassador Blair Kitrick is no exception – she’s lost several friends and family this year. She’s here to share her a little about her grief and how running and the community have helped her heal – and even find some joy along the way.
Nov 30, 2021•17 min
We LOVE football, and 3 cheers to the Charlotte Sports Foundation for bringing 3 big college games to the Queen City every year. The ACC Championship, Duke Mayo Classic, and Duke Mayo Bowl, each bring “that little Southern something that makes good things better” to Bank of America Stadium in the fall, to the delight of ACC football fans everywhere. But the Charlotte Sports Foundation is more than just football -- it supports sports and events all over the region because it knows that from youth...
Nov 23, 2021•24 min
If you’re a regular reader of our RunCharlotte blog, you may have been “wowed” by this story back in April. Richard Sexton of Concord -- a former furniture e-commerce entrepreneur, digital marketer, occasional substitute teacher, and last-but-not-least ultra runner -- ran a full month of marathons last May with a 25-pound weight ball in his rucksack. Yes, we said a Full. Month. Of. Marathons. With a weighted ball named “Slappy.” Yes, Wow. He did it all to raise money and awareness for Carolina C...
Nov 16, 2021•21 min
The numbers detailing America’s health can be staggering. According to the CDC, 42 percent of Americans are obese. You heard that right -- 42 percent -- a 12-point jump compared to 20 years ago. And the highest percentage of obesity when broken down by race is found in Black adults. Those are the kind of statistics that prompted the creation of Black Men Run -- a running group especially designed to combat health problems common in the African-American community. High blood pressure, diabetes, a...
Nov 09, 2021•20 min
If you ever needed proof about how running changes lives, just look at the nonprofit RunningWorks. The programs are designed to promote healthy lifestyles for our neighbors experiencing homelessness and poverty. And RunningWorks acts like the BEST running buddy -- not only fostering relationships through running, but helping connect its team members with community resources in healthcare, jobs, and housing… to name a few. RunningWorks also encourages rehabilitation and dignity for its members th...
Nov 02, 2021•22 min
We love our ambassadors -- the guys and girls who spread the word about the Novant Health Charlotte Marathon, and train, and post about us all year. And they come from all walks of life, with the common threads of running and positivity. Joe Smith is one of those ambassadors, even though he looks more like a defensive lineman than a marathon runner. But he’s also an incredibly multi-faceted guy, business owner, entrepreneur, photographer … and runner. And he’s here with us on the Running Around ...
Oct 26, 2021•15 min
One of Charlotte’s largest Thanksgiving traditions has nothing to do with pumpkin pie or stuffing – and the only turkeys you’ll see will be on people’s heads – not plates. What could we be talking about? Why the Charlotte Turkey Trot, of course. That’s right – early Thanksgiving morning, thousands of people take to the streets and run off dinner before they eat it. Joining us today is David Jessey – one of the owners of the Charlotte Turkey Trot.
Oct 19, 2021•21 min
Runners love a challenge - and training for a marathon is a great way to push yourself a little further than you ever have. If you’ve run one and enjoyed it, you push yourself a little more to do a PR the next time around. But we’ve got a challenge only a few hardy souls sign up for…. Running the half-marathon with a weighted backpack. You may have heard of rucking - which is basically a form of military training where you run miles with a full backpack. The Novant Health Charlotte Marathon has ...
Oct 12, 2021•21 min
We’re dedicated to making this year’s Novant Health Charlotte Marathon the best one yet! Whether you’re running virtually or in person, we’re stepping up our game after all runners have been through with postponements and cancellations in the last 18 months. That’s one reason we brought a pro on board to be our Event Experience Director. We first spoke to Alaina Williams last March on the Running Around Charlotte Podcast, and now we’re talking to her again about what kind of awesome experiences ...
Oct 05, 2021
We love our friends down at Novant Health and all of the support and guidance they give us here at the Charlotte Marathon. And we love turning over that big check to them after every race, with money we’ve earned, because we know it goes for a great cause -- the Novant Health Hemby Children’s Hospital. There is a lot of good work going on there, and if you’ve ever had to make a hospital stay with your child, you know how important that is. Jessica Osborn is an Ambassador at Hemby Children’s Hosp...
Sep 28, 2021
