CHARLOTTE — Thousands of runners will take over the Queen City on Sunday for the Around the Crown 10K, and John Vodacek hopes to run fast enough to add yet another win to his record.
“I was always a pretty competitive kid,” Vodacek told Channel 9’s Miana Massey. “Running happened to be just what I was kind of best at.”
Vodacek moved to Charlotte from Wisconsin in January and quickly found his stride. He won the Yiasou Greek Festival last weekend, adding to earlier wins at Charlotte RaceFest, the NoDa 5K and the Charlotte Summer Track Series.
Those victories put him in position to sweep the Crown Collective’s Triple Crown.
On Sunday, he’ll chase his goals on a course unlike any other as the streets of Charlotte transform into a track for the annual race.
“I’m pretty excited about it honestly, like, you don’t get to run on a highway very often,” Vodacek said. “Maybe I’ll channel my inner sports car when I’m out there.”
His training is elite, including twice a day workouts, running up to 100 miles a week and plenty of carbs and protein to keep him fueled, but he says he’s trying not to overthink it.
“I know that once I get to race day, once the gun goes off, I’m going to be just kind of the normal competitor I always am,” he said.
For now, Vodacek says he’s trying to take it easy ahead of the big day.
The finish line will determine whether Vodacek takes it all, but win or lose, he says the Charlotte running community has already given him fresh motivation and a new place to call home.
Tune in to Channel 9 Sunday starting at 7 a.m. for full coverage of the race, including exclusive interviews and course coverage from start to finish.
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