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Charlotte Airport Runway 5K draws more than 1,500 finishers and backs aviation scholarships

Rain did not dampen the October 17 airfield event, which featured parked aircraft, the debut of mascot Zippy and fundraising for Central Piedmont students.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • More than 1,500 participants from 25 states and Washington, D.C., finished the October 17 CLT Runway 5K.
  • Registration sold out in approximately 15 minutes and the event included parked aircraft and new mascot Zippy.
  • Since 2019, the airport says the race has raised over $400,000 for Central Piedmont Community College scholarships.
  • The race is expected to mark its 20th anniversary in 2027.

For one morning in Charlotte, an airport runway became a gathering place for families, recreational runners and aviation enthusiasts rather than departing aircraft. Despite rain at the start of the 2026 CLT Runway 5K on October 17, more than 1,500 participants from 25 states and Washington, D.C., completed the event at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, according to the airport’s post-race report.

Runway access was central to the experience. Three parked aircraft, including an American Airlines Boeing 777, provided an unusual backdrop to the course, while a DJ supplied music and the airport introduced its new mascot, Zippy. The event welcomed people running and walking, families with strollers and wheelchair participants. Interest was evident well before race day: the airport said registration sold out in approximately 15 minutes after opening on August 1.

Running together on an airport runway

Among those taking part were special education teacher Lauren Hickman and her former student, 11-year-old Nahum M., who began preparing in August. Hickman pushed Nahum in a borrowed racing wheelchair, and the two crossed the finish line in around 33 minutes. Their participation illustrated the event’s community dimension and its efforts to accommodate runners with different abilities. Their preparations were previously featured in the airport’s Running With Purpose story.

Another participant, Anthony Rubino, an American Airlines pilot, joined the race with his wife Ariane and their young son in a stroller. For airline personnel and local residents alike, the opportunity to experience the airport’s airfield from ground level offered a perspective normally reserved for airport operations.

Proceeds support aviation career opportunities

The race also serves a longer-term educational purpose. Since 2019, the airport reports that the Runway 5K has raised more than $400,000 for Airport Opportunity Scholarships at Central Piedmont Community College. Created in 2018, the scholarship program is intended to widen access to aviation-related careers and support economic opportunity in Charlotte.

According to the airport, 44 students have received scholarships so far. Each award covers two years at Central Piedmont, including tuition, books and fees. Scholarship recipients helped welcome participants at the finish line and hand out medals. The airport also established an endowed scholarship earlier in 2026 to sustain the initiative beyond individual race years.

With the next Runway 5K set to mark the event’s 20th anniversary in 2027, the gathering highlights how an operating international airport can create an occasional public experience that connects residents with aviation while supporting local education. Additional airport information is available through the Charlotte Douglas International Airport website.

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