Around Town

Is running only for the rich in Charlotte?

By Jen Rothacker

The Story

Using data from running apps, Nathan Yau of FlowingData tracked common running routes in major American cities. As the Washington Post has noticed, the routes correlate with wealth, including in Charlotte.

The Facts

– As you’ll see in Charlotte’s map, the vast majority of runners hit the pavement in uptown and South Charlotte — among the city’s wealthiest zip codes.

– Is that because running is a luxury sport for the wealthy? Or are those the prettiest and safest runs? Or is it because wealthier people tend to use apps, thus skewing the data?

The Routes

We asked fans of the Run with Theoden Facebook page to share their favorite routes. You’ll notice they correlate with the map — uptown and South Charlotte based. And all great runs:

– Love the Dowd 4-mile loop: (You leave from the Dowd YMCA) Morehead, right on Kings, right on East, right on Euclid, left on Morehead. – Brian Morris

– 5-mile route from the Dowd Y: Down Morehead (1 mile at hospital), down stairs to greenway (first turn), greenway leads to freedom park (mile 2), left over bridge and to freedom park lake (about 2.5 miles at top of park), around lake and back to greenway (mile 3), back up stairs to morehead (mile 4) and back to y (mile 5). – John Chambers

– Triple C Light Rail Run: Start at Triple C in South End, hit the light rail path and run as far as you want and then come back. A group meets every Thursday at 6:30 p.m. to run and drink.

– I don’t know if it is popular, but this is an easy South Charlotte 6-mile route: Starting on Rea Rd at Blakeney: Left on Ballantyne Commons, Left on Community House, Left on Ardrey Kell, Left on Rea back to start. (Or go in opposite direction for slightly more uphill.) – Leah Lashley Lanier

The hour difference on the morning run. #fall #carolinasunrise

A photo posted by Joel Dinkel (@joeldinkel) on Oct 24, 2014 at 5:07am PDT



– Little Sugar Creek Greenway out and back – impossible to get lost, pretty, totally out of traffic except for one street crossing at Princeton. – Laura Dagenhart Gellman

– Booty Loop! (Queens Road to Queens Road West to Hopedale): I miss living on it so bad because it was such a fun route, especially during spring when all the cyclists and runners are coming out of hibernation. – Kati Robertson

– The 5.8 mile route on Lower McAlpine Creek, McMullen Creek, and Four Mile Creek Greenways running from Trader Joes @ Starbucks to Hwy 51 across from Trio Restaurant. – Eric Smith

Photos: Todd Sumlin / Charlotte Observer, Facebook & FlowingData.

This story was originally published February 4, 2015 at 1:10 AM with the headline "Is running only for the rich in Charlotte?."

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