Kiss 2020 goodbye!

Join iDaph Event’s 2021 New Year’s Resolution Run in downtown Asheville

Celebrate the love of running, fitness, and the new year with iDaph Events 7th Annual Resolution Run, set for New Year’s Day on Friday, January 1st, 2021 in downtown Asheville, NC.

This annual in-person running event has assigned wave start times beginning at 10 am, so you can watch the ball drop on New Year’s Eve and still get up in time to kick off the first day of the year on the right foot.

The race starts and ends in Pack Square, Asheville’s historic public square and the heart of Asheville. The New Year’s Resolution Run is a great way to stick to your fitness goals and stay active throughout the winter months while exploring the streets of downtown Asheville and its surrounding neighborhoods. The 10 Mile distance will not take place this year; instead, a 10K has been put in its place, along with the traditional 5K route. There is also a challenge option for endurance runners, which allows runners to run both the 5k and 10k distances for a total of 9.3 miles.

“After what we have been through as a community over the past year, I cannot imagine a better way to start off the new 2021 year,” says Race Director Daphne Kirkwood. “The New Year’s Resolution Run is an opportunity to let go of the last year together, safely and in-person.”

Changes due to COVID-19

As all of iDaph Events running events since the pandemic, this event will have major changes implemented to allow for a safe and socially distanced event. When runners register they must choose a wave start time and stick to that time when they start the race. The assigned wave start times are to ensure that runners stay socially distanced throughout the race from start to finish, and it eliminates a mass start. Each event has been capped at 150 participants.

A conditional permit has been approved by the City of Asheville on November 9, 2020 for this annual event to take place in downtown Asheville.

Runners are encouraged to bring their own water and nutrition for this event. In order to provide a safe experience for all runners, there will be no water stations or fuel stations on the race course.

For more changes due to COVID-19, please visit the Resolution Run website.

New for 2021! Virtual Option

Runners not ready to attend an in-person event or if from out of town are still able to be part of this annual Resolution Run. A virtual option for this event is also available, and runners can run the same course or a course anywhere to commemorate the start of a brand new year. Virtual participants will have access to the course information and receive all the cool swag mailed directly to their home. Top finishers are also eligible for prizes.

In-person event

5K and 10k runners participating in the in-person event will receive a race t-shirt, a commemorative finisher medal, a chip-timed race, a fully-marked course and a goody bag with their registration fee. Challenge runners will also receive an additional swag item. These swag items are a fun way to commemorate the first run of the year, and a reminder to runners that they have stuck to their fitness goals.

“For many, the t-shirt and commemorative medal will be a reminder to leave 2020 behind and provide a token of hope as together we look forward to a more healthy future in 2021,” says Kirkwood.

No after-party: But we can still have fun!

To commemorate the new year, a fresh start and the Resolution Run accomplishment, all finishers will receive a custom-designed finisher medal after they cross the finish line.

To discourage the gathering of crowds, there will not be any post-event celebrations for the in-person New Year’s Resolution Run. However, runners and spectators can check out Baires Food Truck, which will be on-site at the event serving up their delicious breakfast empanadas and special New Year’s empanadas, along with hot drinks such as hot chocolate and coffee.

There is plenty of space at Pack Square for spectators to come and cheer on their favorite runner during this event. We do ask that spectators wear masks and stay socially distanced from others while attending.

The awards ceremony will be held via Zoom the week following the event to announce overall finishers.

Sign up: Spots are limited!

It is time to say goodbye and good riddance to 2020 and HELLO 2021! For more details about this event, click the button below. 

Please note: If the permit conditions change due to COVID-19 event gathering restrictions, this event will be moved to a different location. There are no deferrals or refunds for this event.

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