St James Elementary School Royal Run 5k

Welcome to NextGen United's Summer Sun and Racing Fun 5k

5k kicks off at 8:00 AM

Race Day Registration and Packet Pick-UP will begin at 7:00-8:00 AM

Day Before Packet Pick UP on 6/5/26 at Betty G Ross from 4:00-6:00 PM

Location and Course: will Betty G Ross Park, 800 Madison St, Lincolnton, NC 28092 and the local Rail Trail

NextGen United's Summer Sun and Racing Fun 5K community fundraiser, which supports emergency crises, one-time hardships, and programs across the county. (proceeds go to United Way of Lincoln Co)

Awards:

1st place Male and Female overall

1st, 2nd, 3rd in age groups (14 and under, 15-19,

20-34, 35-49, 50-64, 65+) Male and Female

NextGen United, a teen-led interest group from United Way of Lincoln County, invites you to join our

first-ever 5K race and kick off the summer season! There will be awards for 1st place runner (male and

female), as well as 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in each age group—plus ALL runners will get to jumpstart

summertime with snow cones, slushies, and much more once they cross that finish line!

Support UWLC's teen group and help raise money for our Community Fund, supporting our neighbors in

need during one-time hardships, critical programs across the county, and much more!

28TH Annual

Cannonball's Cycling Team

Metric & Half-Metric Century Charity Ride,

and Inaugural DuAthlon & 5K

June 6/7, 2026

The Cannonballs Cycling Team (CCT) Annual Metric Century is back for its 28th year, and we have new exciting offerings in store! This year we are offering run options for those who aren’t cyclist or simply looking for more of a challenge, and for the first time we’ll incorporate timing.

METRIC & HALF METRIC RIDERS: You read the above correctly, if you are one of our annual riders…this year we will incorporate timing so we don’t have so rely on Strava. Come put your endurance to the test as you conquer the hills throughout Mecklenburg, Gaston and Lincoln Counties while raising funds for local charity. Participates are invited to join individually or as a team. This police escorted ride starts and concludes at White Water Middle School in Charlotte, North Carolina. CCT Metric and Half Metric participants will have SAG support and many options for fuel and nutrition at each rest stop.

Distance Options

CCT Metric Century Ride (includes 4 rest stops): 8:00 AM

Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/51073788

CCT Half Metric Century Ride (includes 2 rest stops): 8:30 AM

Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/46506295://ridewithgps.com/routes/46506295

FUN RIDERS: CCT will host the annual 15-mile Fun Ride again this year, it will begin at 8:45 AM (CCT Guided Route, not timed).

RUNNERS: There will be a traditional 5k (run only) option, and a duathlon (5k run followed by any bike distance) option. The 5k for both options will begin at 7:00 AM.

Registration Includes:

• SAG support throughout ride (Metric/Half Metric Riders only)

• Lunch for all participants following ride

• Finisher Gift for all CCT Metric, Half Metric Riders, Duathlon or 5k registrants (Guaranteed for first 150 participants)

• Recovery Ride - June 7, 2023 at 8AM (https://ridewithgps.com/routes/50533543)

• Access to Swap Meet Featuring Local Bike Shops

Join us for the 9th annual Run White & Blue 7.4 Event on July 4, 2026, in Huntersville, NC. This event supports military veteran and first responder organizations in the Lake Norman region of North Carolina. Our returning beneficiaries are Purple Heart Homes and Firefighters' Burned Children Fund. Learn more about the amazing work each organization is doing and donate directly to their organization under “Donate”.

Note - The mile and kilometer course are both double loops style courses. Each runner MUST pass the split timer under the arch at the start/finish line, or he or she will disqualify from any results. All runners will run one "outside" loop on the course passing through the finish area once and one "inside" loop until passing through the finish line. The first loop will run in the center turn lane and the second loop will run on the inside lane counterclockwise around The Park. The course will be coned and signed accordingly and protected from traffic. The outside lane will be the open traffic flow lane.

Living the Dream 5K Race

Date: August 1st, 2025

Race Check-In & Entry Begins: 7:15 AM

Location: Talbert Business Development Area, Lake Norman, NC

Join us for the Second Annual Living the Dream 5K Race, a powerful community event honoring the life and legacy of Coach Ben Watson — a beloved national and state hall of fame wrestling coach, mentor, and passionate servant leader. Coach Watson made a lifelong impact through his involvement with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) as a student, collegiate leader, and teacher advisor for over 30 years. He impacted hundreds of students as a teacher, wrestling coach, and FCA advisor.

This race is more than a run — it's a celebration of Coach Watson’s legacy and a rally to support the ongoing work of FCA in our local schools and sports communities. All proceeds will go toward expanding FCA’s ministry efforts in the Lake Norman area, including raising up new staff to meet the growing needs of our region.

Whether you're a competitive runner, casual jogger, or want to walk in support of the cause, we invite you to be part of something that makes an eternal impact.

Run with purpose. Live the dream. Honor the legacy.

Join us for our 4th Annual Pirate 5k Run/Walk

(dress in pirate costume theme if you wish)

Date: Saturday

August 15, 2026

Time:07:30am 5k Kicks off

Register on race day between 6:30-7:00am

Age Based Pricing for Students

Location:

St. Luke’s Episcopal

Church

315 North Cedar Street

Lincolnton, NC 28092

Packet Pickup:

Friday Aug 14th from 4-6pm

Saturday Aug 15th from 6:30-7am (At the Parrish house at St Luke’s)

Awards:

Overall Male and Female

1st, 2nd and 3rd place in each age group

Finisher medal for all participants

Age Groups (Male and Female) 14 and under 15-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-79, 80+

Deadline for guaranteed shirt: Aug. 3rd

The Third annual Pirate 5K Run/Walk will begin on North Cedar Street in Lincolnton at Historic St. Luke’s Episcopal Church. The church graveyard is the final resting place of Lorenzo Ferrier who may or may not be Jean Lafitte.

From St. Luke’s the runners will work their way to the Lincolnton Rail Trail at First Federal Park at East Pine Street crossing.

For more information pertaining to St. Luke’s please visit the church website.

https://www.stlukeslincolnton.com

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Lincolnton, is a North Carolina non-profit 501 (c)(3) and donations may be tax deductible.

​

ABOUT THE RAIL TRAIL:

The Marcia H. Cloninger Rail-Trail, known locally as the Lincolnton Rail-Trail, is a 1.5-mile paved trail, and is especially popular with walkers, joggers, bikers, and parents pushing baby strollers. Benches line the route, inviting you to pause and take in this enchanting town and trail. The trail is maintained by the City of Lincolnton.

The trail offers a chance to search the heart of this small Southern town, highlighted by a stately courthouse, model Main Street, thriving arts scene, and nearby lakes and mountains. Once an eyesore covered in kudzu and debris, the former Norfolk Southern Railroad corridor is now the pride and joy of “Lovable Lincolnton”.

For more information on the Lincolnton Rail Trail visit https://www.carolinathreadtrailmap.org/trails/trail/marcia-h-cloninger-rail-trail

ABOUT THE PIRATE:

"In 2021, a book entitled Jean Lafitte Revealed, Unraveling One of America’s Longest-Running Mysteries by Ashley Oliphant and Beth Yarbrough presents the theory that Jean Laffite, did in fact successfully change his name and live out the rest of his natural life, dying 1875 at the age of 96, under the pseudonym, “Lorenzo Ferrer” in Lincoln County, North Carolina. Ferrer is buried in a marked grave at Saint Luke's Episcopal Church in Lincolnton, North Carolina. The grave is commonly referred to as locals as “The Pirate’s Grave.” Whether or not the story is true, it would make for a great movie."

https://potus-geeks.livejournal.com/1456158.html

The Current:

"Laffite’s legend in Lincolnton involves a possible son by Louisa, an alleged murder at a plantation, an argument with another Frenchmen also living undercover and a sword with his initials hidden in plain sight."

https://thecurrentla.com/2021/a-pirate-gets-his-due