CHARLOTTE — Alexandria Johnson is known for getting difficult things done.
“I feel like as soon as I turn this curb there are going to be hills, but I know I can do hard things,” she said.
She started her professional life as a teacher. After that, she started organizing races with Start 2 Finish -- the management company that helps put together Around the Crown.
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If helping organize these events wasn’t hard enough, she runs them too.
“I started running just to become physically fit, and from there, I was searching for community especially during and right after COVID,” Johnson told Channel 9’s Eli Brand.
Ever since she started working with Start 2 Finish, Johnson said she set another goal for herself -- to give representation to the underrepresented.
She said her own experiences with showing up and not feeling welcomed inspired her to make a difference.
Johnson said she finds people who have those same feelings and does everything she can to make them feel welcome and comfortable. In fact, she does it so much that she was given Charlotte Running Company’s 2025 Community Unity Award.
“It’s so hard, especially working a lot, to show up for people, and I pride myself on going to different events, learning people’s stories and really building connection with everyone.” she said.
Johnson says she will continue to do that behind a desk and in the race.
This year, she’ll be a pacer for Around the Crown. She says being out there is still one of her core goals.
“My dad has Parkinson’s Disease, and I see him struggle with movement,” she said. “I want to show up and show him and show other people that no matter what you’re facing you can show up and do your best.”
The Around the Crown 10K will begin Sunday at 7:30 a.m.
Channel 9 is a sponsorship partner of the Around the Crown race.
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