Behind the Scenes for the Run on the Runway
Long before the announcer on-stage shouts “Go!” – this year on Saturday, March 28 – the PTI 5K/10K Run on the Runway brings together a team with a grand purpose: delivering an exciting event that benefits thousands in need across the region.
Race day might seem simple from the starting line: a runway stretching ahead, a sunrise over the Triad, and nearly two thousand or more runners and walkers ready to take on what usually only feels the touch down of airplane tires.
But the Run on the Runway is a whole lot more than a single race morning.
Race directors, PTI’s operations leaders, and other event volunteers are tasked with designing and constructing a mini city for a day that must return to a full-fledged international airport runway mere minutes after the last participant crosses the finish.
“Run on the Runway reflects who we are at PTI,” said Kevin Baker, Executive Director, PTI. “It’s a big lift for all involved, but the impact extends far beyond the finish line.”
Since the inaugural Run in 2010 and every year since, there have been hundreds of people doing a lot of hard work in the months and weeks leading up to the starting gun. Tents, barricades, cones, music, buses, water, power, radios, and supplies all have to land in exactly the right place at the right time, because on race morning, there’s no “close enough.”
Details are never in short supply: where runners will park, where sponsors and spectators will gather, where the start/finish line needs to be for everything to flow smoothly, and where marketing and signage tells a story of the goal to raise more than $220,000 to benefit Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North Carolina, Greensboro Urban Ministry, and Open Door Ministries of High Point to fight hunger and help the food insecure across Northwest North Carolina.
There’s Still Time
To Run, Walk, Volunteer or Sponsor!
This is your chance to have a unique event experience that supports the fight against hunger across our region.
Through the support of PTI and all the runners that gather and the amazing sponsors, they have been able to ensure that we can put food on the table across our entire region.
“Run on the Runway has been foundational to our success,” said Eric Aft, CEO, Second Harvest Food Bank of NW NC. “Through the support of PTI and all the runners that gather and the amazing sponsors, they have been able to ensure that we can put food on the table across our entire region.”
And participants agree that the hard work pays off: “It’s a great event,” said a third-year runner. “We just absolutely love this event.”
Said another, “This year I came with my family, and it’s so much fun to join them and have them run along with us.”
The biggest logistical flex of all is coordinating a runway shutdown. This isn’t a barrier or two to close a neighborhood street or a quiet greenway. It’s an active airfield, and making it safe for runners requires real operational choreography that require strict timelines, communication, safety protocols, and flawless coordination so the airport can support the event while maintaining the standards that keep nationwide aviation moving every day.
On race morning, the first wave of volunteers arrives at 5:30 a.m. They’re setting up water stations, directing traffic, checking on runners, troubleshooting last-minute issues, and keeping the whole experience fun and welcoming. Many of these volunteers, who often come back year after year, remain onsite until the last water bottle is picked up, the last cone is loaded, and the runway returns to business as usual.
Sponsors are critical, especially multi-year presenting sponsors The Lenny Peters Foundation / Bethany Medical / Peters Development. Alongside the event headliners, more than 75 sponsors each year help power the race experience, making the race and its bold goals possible.
Another regular attendee summed it up well: “I really like the feeling of community. Getting to see all the (local) residents out here at the runway. And, it’s really cool to see all the sponsors and just how everybody runs together and cheers for each other at the end.”
More than any single race day, the Run on the Runway shows what is possible when our region comes together.
