Race Profile: Charlotte's Finest Duathlon

I’m profiling this event because it features a really cool course, especially if you like trail running and cross country courses. Plus, it’s a duathlon, and I love duathlons.

So let’s get started. Charlotte’s Finest Duathlon (5k run, 15 mile bike, 5k run) is held at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Fire and Police Academy on Shopton Road. This event usually occurs in the last couple weeks of March, but this year, it’s Saturday April 5. Unfortunately, that conflicts with the Cooper River Bridge run, so I doubt many locals are searching for a race. But if you aren’t running the bridge and you like duathlons, I highly recommend this one.

The course
The run begins in the Academy parking lot and takes you out on the road for a couple hundred yards before veering into the woods. The trail, used for police department training, is mostly single track and not too technical. The pace is fast early on and it's difficult to pass. After 1.5 miles or so you come out of the woods onto the fields, firing range, and obstacle courses used for K-9 training. This is a nice XC section that gives you an opportunity to see the field as you loop around and head back toward the transition.On the last half mile, once you get back on pavement, you hit a hill, and I mean a hill. It's actually named "Bubba." I don't know what the grade is, perhaps 10 to 12 percent, but trust me, they've spray painted the name "Bubba" on it for a reason. On the second 5k it takes all the spring out of your step and makes that final kick to the finish a little more interesting.

The bike course is three 5-mile loops with the entire course closed to traffic. It's rare to cycle on closed streets in Charlotte and this is really a nice feature of the race. With only 4 turns on each loop and a handful of rolling climbs, it's a fast course. After the second turn you can get 30-40 MPH no problem before winding down at the top of the next hill.

Other info
This is a USAT sanctioned event, so you have to have your license, or pay the $10 fee. The field is limited to the first 350 participants, but the average number of racers each year is around 150-175, so I don’t think you have to worry about that. Early registration fees are $40 individual and $75 relay team, but late registration runs $60 individual and $95 relay team. This event benefits the Special Olympics of North Carolina, and donations are welcome.

Beginners should keep in mind that there is a time cut off. It’s a pretty liberal time, so don’t let that be a deterrent. Just be aware that all participants must complete the event in under 2 hours, 30 minutes. This is because they can only close the roads to traffic for so long before re-opening.

So, should you make the drive to Charlotte? I say yes. I'm lucky in that I have friends in the area who I stay with when I want to race up there, but there is a host hotel that offers discounts. Plus, you could make a day of it and hit nearby Renaissance Park and do some mountain biking or play a little Frisbee golf. Lots of bike lanes in Charlotte also, if you wanted to log some more miles for the day.

I really don't have anything negative to say about this event, but I will say, if you plan on placing, don't get your hopes up about the awards. When I did this event in 2006, the awards were Charlotte PD sweatshirts and t-shirts. Hey, I'm not complaining. I'm all about supporting Charlotte's finest.