Cardinal Track Club’s Four on the 4th Race Hot Item

RECREATION & LEISURE

By Randy B. Young
Correspondent

Hundreds of runners hit the hot pavement in Carrboro on Saturday morning, July 4, many simply striving for a PR (personal record), some striving for an actual event record, and some just hoping to survive the heat.

As fate would have it, new records were indeed set on Saturday—not by runners participating in the Cardinal Track Club’s Four on the 4th (four-mile) road race in Carrboro, but by scorching temperatures that hit 103° locally later that afternoon.

Katie White, 37, of Apex, NC spreads her wings over the final quarter mile of the Four on the 4th road race. Photo by Randy B. Young

(Le) Tour Dates

The Cardinal Track Club (www.cardinaltrack.com) is a Carrboro / Chapel Hill-based organization dedicated to the enjoyment and promotion of running. Founded in the mid-1990’s by Dick Forbis and Bobby Biles, Cardinal offers a wide range of activities designed to cater to various fitness levels, including group road or trail runs in a supportive, motivating environment.

Cardinal Track Club’s 4-mile race reflected the start of another Le Tour de Carrboro race series—now in its 22nd year. The annual Tour de Carrboro running race series is comprised of the Four on the 4th (of July) 4-mile run, the Carrboro 10K (6.2-mile) and 5K (3.1-mile), typically run on the first Saturday in October, and the Gallop and Gorge 8K (5-mile) on Thanksgiving morning, each beginning and ending in Carrboro.

For over two decades, Cardinal has worked with its designated Community Partners to put on the annual Tour de Carrboro races, each beginning and ending in Carrboro. The Tour de Carrboro race series supports local runners and the community at large, having provided nearly $750,000 dollars over the Tour’s 22 years to community non-profit establishments. In January, 2026, Cardinal donated $48,000 to its Community Partners based on revenue from 2025 races.

“This money goes directly back to organizations that give back to the Carrboro / Chapel Hill area themselves,” Tina Clossick said. “We look for Community Partners who can support efforts around healthy living, healthy lifestyles, and who are doing good work in the community.”

CTC’s Partners provide volunteers who work alongside the Carrboro Police Department, Public Works, and the race sponsors. 2026 Community Partners include Meals on Wheels, TABLE, the Orange Rape Crisis Center, UNC’s Get Real and Heel, the Optimist Club of Chapel Hill, UNC Therapy, the Carrboro Family Garden, and Boy Scout Troop 845.

A Cool Reception

Though the temperature was around 81° around the 8:00 a.m. start time, Mother Nature turned on the heat over the course of the race, post-race awards, and kids’ races. The temperature was over 90° before all was said and done. Aware of the forecasts for humidity and record-breaking heat as July 4 approached, the race team from Cardinal took steps to make sure folks “kept their cool.”

“We had the Fire Department, and they were on a gator this year,” said Cardinal Track Club President Tina Clossick. “We made sure we had two water stops, we made sure everyone had ice towels at the finish, and we had EMT at the track, and they did an amazing job with runners. Fleet Feet Sports was the sponsor of the ice towels, and those were key.”

Four on the 4th race director and Cardinal Track Club board member Wayne Eckert agreed: “Yeah, the towels certainly helped a lot, and we had plenty of water. It was definitely a tough day, but I think we survived it pretty well.”

“The towels were just for the race,” said Fleet Feet Carrboro Community Outreach Director Nora Ayers.

“They’re a promo item; I just get them printed,” she said, “but someone was asking (during the previous day’s race registration at Fleet Feet), and they were like, ‘Do you sell those?’ And I was like, ‘I’m really sorry we don’t sell them, but you’re going to get one tomorrow at the end of the race.’”

It was Conor Lundy (left photo) and Lindsay Lucier (right photo, left of male runner Shan Guo) finishing in first place in men’s and women’s overall results, respectively. Photo by Randy B. Young

Heat of the Moment

While overall records weren’t broken at this year’s Four on the 4th, runners’ times were nevertheless impressive.

Taking top honors among the men’s field was Conor Lundy in 20:04, followed by Shane Fitzgerald (21:16) and Neal Duncan (21:31). Among females, it was Lindsay Lucier earning gold (25:09) with Abigail Hart (25:43) and Leigh Campbell (26:14) also earning a spot on the medal stand.

In first place in the masters males category was Matt Straub (23:57); among female masters, it was Hadara Adelson (26:29) taking gold. Among Clydesdales, Dylan Jones (37:07) finished in first place; in the Athena category, it was Alana Pavuk (36:47) across the finish line first.

Cardinal Track Club co-founder earned 3rd place in the men’s 80+ division of Cardinal’s Four on the 4th road race on July 4. Photo by Randy B. Young

Cool Character

Perhaps the most noteworthy performance was turned in by the most revered and warmest of characters. Making a surprise visit was Dick Forbis, 80, one of the original founders of the Cardinal Track Club (with Bobby Biles).

Upon completing the 4-miler—and placing third in his 80+ age group, no less—Forbis added perspective to a celebratory day:

“It’s so gratifying to see the community come out and support running or activity for the years that people have been doing this,” he said. “And then to be able to have great sponsorship and great volunteer support has been great.”

Forbis noted that the talent that has graced Carrboro’s streets for Cardinal’s races—from college standouts to Olympians like Joan Nesbit Mabe and Shalane Flanagan—has been impressive.

“We’ve had some really top-notch people who have come out here,” he said.

Warmest Regards

Eckert was pleased with the turnout who braved the elements.

“We had 701 registrations,” he said, “and I think we had around 640 racers—that’s not bad.”

“Plus, there were people from the scouts and from the other civic clubs,” Forbis said. “They were out here at all the intersections, and the police were great.”

“It’s so nice to be in this community and recognize that Carrboro is very receptive to all kinds of people,” he added, “whether you are active or not active or running, walking, or cheering.”

Children participate in Cardinal’s Firecracker Kids’ Races to cap off the day’s races. Photo by Randy B. Young

A Dartmouth College graduate, Randy B. Young first worked as an award-winning advertising copywriter in New Hampshire, then in communications at UNC for over 30 years. He maintained an award-winning newspaper feature covering Recreation and Exercise in the Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Orange County. Retired and living in Chapel Hill, Randy continues to write for regional publications both locally and in New England, and his book, And the Stars Flew With Us, is available through Amazon and at independent bookstores. He coaches track at Chapel Hill High and has a photography business, Pierless (sic) Photography. This reporter can be reached at: Information@TheLocalReporter.press