Birmingham Wine 10K returns March 7

The Birmingham Wine 10K returns this month and will feature Olympic bronze medalist Emma Coburn as a special guest.

The race is scheduled for March 7 at 7:30 a.m. and will include post-race festivities. Reigstration costs $55. Event founder and promoter Joseph Longoria said the race will follow the same course as it did in 2019.

“Similar to years past, the race will start at Patriot Park in West Homewood, take runners through the West Homewood neighborhood before heading down Green Springs to the Lakeshore Trail, finishing behind the Lakeshore Plaza Building,” he said.

This year’s race will be the Road Runners Club of America Alabama State Championship 10K, with runners from all over the state partaking in the run. The first five male and female runners will receive prize money, with a bonus if a runner beats the course record.

Not only will the race be the RRCA state championship, it will also host Coburn. She earned a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics and a gold medal at the 2017 World Championships in London.

“This will be Emma’s second time to Birmingham, and we are lucky to have formed such a great relationship with her,” he said. “The idea to have her come to Birmingham for Wine 10K was actually her idea, so we have certainly made a great impression. It’s rare for us common runners to rub elbows with an elite, world-class athlete like Emma, and she loves her fans.”

Coburn will attend packet pickup the day before the race, participate in pre- and postrace activities and hand out awards.

Registered runners can pick up their race packet starting March 4 at the Finley Center in Hoover. For more race information, visit wine10k.com.