Charlotte Empower Walk & 5K Run

Charlotte Empower Walk & 5K Run takes place in Charlotte, North Carolina, on November 7, 2026, with the 5K run starting at 9:00 a.m. over 3.1 miles. It is an Autism Speaks event, and as the name suggests the day pairs the timed run with a walk, so the field spans competitive runners and groups covering the route together.

For a runner, the useful framing is that a 5K asks for very little logistically and still gives you a real measurement. Three or four runs a week for a month is a workable build from scratch; if you already train, this is a hard 20-odd minutes that you can absorb inside a normal week. Warm up for at least 10 minutes before a 9:00 a.m. start, then run the first mile a few seconds slower than the pace you want to average.