Ethan Brown '25
Features Editor
Last Saturday, on March 25, more than a thousand runners took to the streets of Charlottesville to participate in this year’s annual Ten-Miler road race. As a long-distance but admittedly not-very-fast runner, I was pumped. I love road races. I’m not a trail runner—never have been, never will be—both because I am afraid of wildlife[1] and because I trip over tree roots like it’s my day job. So, my happy place running is on the pavement. Also, seeing familiar places but with the energy and adrenaline of a new race is always refreshing. So, when I learned about the Charlottesville Ten-Miler earlier this semester, I knew I had to sign up.
There are three things that make for a good race: weather, route, and vibes. And honestly, I thought all three were pretty great this year. First, weather: I’ll admit it wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but I loved it. When I rolled up to Grounds at 6:45 a.m. ahead of the race’s 7:15 a.m. start time, it was 49 degrees and drizzly—by the time I finished running at 8:30 a.m., it was almost pouring, but the temperature had reached the low 50s. I’m always up for a rainy run, and since I was wearing three-inch running shorts and a long sleeve t-shirt, I’d have preferred the rain over the cold any day. I guarantee that if I had to run ten miles in 30 degree weather, the tone of this article would be significantly snarkier.
Picutred: The Ten Miler's Route Map (Follow Ethan Brown on Strava)
Second, the route: It was a great mixture of UVA sights, cute Charlottesville neighborhoods, and the Downtown Mall, with a few good hills and lots of audience participation along the way. While the Charlottesville Ten-Miler has been going on since 1976,[2] this year’s route varied slightly from previous years. Still, Miles 2.5–9.0 took place along the original path, so the bulk of the race was familiar to those who’d run the Ten-Miler before.
When we crossed the start line at 7:15 a.m., we started with a loop around Scott Stadium before snaking up Alderman Road, doing a loop around one of the neighborhoods in between Alderman and Ivy Road, and then heading back down Alderman toward the Lawn. As I’ve already mentioned in several articles with the Law Weekly,[3] I’m a big Main Grounds runner, so the first few miles of the race were fun, but I was more excited for the portions through downtown Charlottesville because they’re less frequent stops on my runs.
Luckily, those portions came quickly! By Mile 3, we had made our way past the Lawn, across University Avenue, and up Rugby Road. We turned on Grady Avenue and enjoyed a nice, long downhill until hitting Dairy Market—where there were lots of adorable families and friends cheering people on—and then headed up towards the Mall. The rain started to pick up during the next few miles of the race, soaking my bib and forcing me to abandon ship with listening to music, tucking my headphones in my pocket instead. So by the time we reached the Downtown Mall again around Mile 7, I was having a great time but also felt increasingly ready to be done, because the appeal of the whole “running in the rain” thing can only last so long.
As someone who is deeply sentimental about different physical locations in my life, the last few miles of the route were awesome to experience as a UVA student. We ran west on W Main Street from the Mall to the Lawn, passing by the train station, Jefferson Park Avenue, and the Corner. Then we dove back into Main Grounds along McCormick Road for the final mile sprint briefly up Observatory Hill, around the Alderman Road residence halls, and then back to Scott Stadium for a triumphant finish. All in all, I thought the route was fantastic, with a unique blend of UVA and Charlottesville scenery. If I were in charge, I’d keep it for next year’s race, too.
Finally, the most important question of any race: How were the vibes? They were wonderful! I could tell this race has been happening since the 1970s based on how well-run it was. The start line was efficiently run, the course support was well-organized, and the post-race snacks (Trader Joe’s bananas, Gatorade, water, Bodo’s, granola bars, you name it) were great. And better still, it wasn’t one of those races where you’re shepherded through a long line after finishing, where different people give you a pre-ordained amount of food.[4] From what I saw, we were free to grab as much as we wanted. And I also have to shout out the very cute finisher’s medal, which—as someone chronically dependent on external validation—will look excellent on my fridge.
It is through this three-part balancing test[5] that I deem the Charlottesville Ten-Miler to be a great road race, one that I heartily endorse and will look forward to doing both as a 2L and a 3L. I hope I see some of you there next year!
---
bwj2cw@virginia.edu
[1] I was stung by a bee for the first time in Spies Garden in January. This article is not about my insect-related trauma—have YOU ever had to sit through eighty minutes of Con Law with a stinger in your upper thigh? Because I have. Nonetheless, the incident cemented my decision to never go into a forest again, because in my head, that’s where the bees live.
[2] Check out http://www.cvilletenmiler.com/ if you’re interested to learn more about the race’s admittedly pretty storied history!
[3] I need to get some new hobbies.
[4] I’m looking at you, Richmond Half-Marathon. We have beef.
[5] Call me Justice Breyer, because I friggin’ love me a good balancing test.