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Chamber Challenge

Overview

Asheville’s Annual 5k Celebrating Workplace Wellness

Join us May 2, 2025

The Chamber Challenge is designed to promote community wellness through friendly competition between businesses in the Asheville area. Encourage your co-workers, family and friends to participate. Whether you walk every step or sprint to the finish, we know you’re up to the challenge!

Nominations for the Good Health Good Business Award are open through March 31st. Submit a Nomination

Registration

Registration fee:

$40 – Early Registration until March 30

$45 – March 31- April 19

$50 – Late Registration April 20-May 1

Training

Asheville’s Chamber Challenge is made for everyone!

Join us for Chamber Challenge training designed for ALL fitness levels with YMCA Personal Trainer Suzanne Ion.

These free sessions will be held Tuesdays at 5:30 pm starting March 18^th and ending April 22^rd at the Asheville Chamber (36 Montford Avenue). The last session will be a preview run/walk of the actual Chamber Challenge 5k course beginning at the Chamber, winding through historic Montford and finishing in the parking lot once again.

These training sessions are open to anyone – whether you’ve registered to participate in the event or not!

We recommend you bring your own water bottle. The doors to the Visitor Center will be open 5:00-5:30 on training days so you can come in to get water, use the restroom, etc.

Thank you to our Training Partner – the YMCA of Western North Carolina!

About the Trainer

Our trainer for the second consecutive year is Suzanne Ion, a sixth generation native of Hawaii who grew up on the island of Maui and in the north Georgia mountains. Whether this is your first 5k or your 500^th, you’ll be in good hands with Suzanne. No stranger to health challenges, she lost over 70 lbs. after a debilitating illness with a commitment to interval cross training and a determination to teach again. Her motto is “Someday I will not be able to do this. Today is not that day.”

She was the only girl on an all-boys soccer team, ran track in high school, and was a basketball cheerleader and member of the drill team/dance corps in high school and college.

Suzanne has Three Star Elite Instructor status for spinning and has continued her fitness education with group exercise certifications through AFFA, ACE, TRX, Silver Sneakers, Mat Pilates, and Tabata Boot Camp. An active participant in 5k’s, 10k’s, half and full marathons, she achieved a Top 20 overall women’s finish at the Lake Tahoe marathon. Whether it’s scuba diving, kayaking, sup, hiking, or glacier climbs, Suzanne is always ready for a challenge.

Training Tips

YMCA Training Tips for the Chamber Challenge 5K

Fueling your body properly is essential to reaching your health and fitness goals. There are two simple ways to get started on this. Firstly, consider having several smaller meals a day. This will help keep your metabolism elevated! Secondly, consume higher amounts of protein with each meal. Protein is highly thermogenic so it not only will help keep your hunger at bay and keep your metabolism roaring, but it will also help protect your current muscle mass. Start with these two things and your body will thank you!
If you’re wondering how often you should be stretching you aren’t alone. Stretching is just as important as cardiovascular and strength exercises. If you stretch every day it will help increase the range of motion in your joints, improves blood circulation and posture, and eases muscular tightness throughout the body. It can also help improve athletic performance, and aid in preventing injury. With these kinds of benefits, you’ll definitely want to consider making it a part of your daily routine!
Running can be an amazingly therapeutic and beneficial type of exercise, unless you are one of the many people who struggle with foot pain or discomfort. There is a new popular type of shoe that is spreading through the running community; a wide toe box running shoe. They give your toes more room to spread and grip the ground which provides more support and a better push-off. If typical running shoes cause you to experience blistering or numbness, pain in your toes from pressure, or if you have flat feet, you may want to consider switching. These types of shoes are also showing more benefit for other forms of exercising such as strength training.

5k Race Course

Want to run or walk the Chamber Challenge 5k course? The course begins and ends at the Asheville Chamber and winds through the historic Montford neighborhood.

Start on lower level of Chamber parking lot and turn right onto Hill Street
Right on Courtland Avenue
Left on Pearson Drive
Left on Rosewood Avenue
Right onto Hawthorne Lane
Right back onto Rosewood Avenue
Right on Tacoma Street
Left back to Pearson Drive
Right on Santee Street
Right on Montford Avenue
Right into Chamber parking lot before the Chamber building
Finish line is in the bottom of the Chamber parking lot

Race Results

2024 Overall Results

Congratulations to everyone who participated in the 2024Chamber Challenge! From a first finisher at 17 minutes 39 seconds to the last at 1 hour 33 minutes, we loved seeing each of you on the course and crossing the finish line!

We can’t wait to see you all next year!

	Male Division	Time	Overall Pace
1	Mike Zeberkiewicz	17:39	5:42/M
2	Teddy Park	18:18	5:55/M
3	Jason Cerilli	18:57	6:07/M

	Female Division	Time	Overall Pace
1	Eliza Parker	19:07	6:10/M
2	Katie Snyder	21:45	7:01/M
3	Isabela Vieira	22:17	7:11/M

Frequently Asked Questions

Registration/General Questions:

I need help with registration. Who do I call?

For assistance with registration, please contact support@idaph.net

What if I pre-registered for my company?

If you pre-registered through our Total Resource Campaign, we will provide you with a promo code to use when registering. We encourage you to have your participants register themselves – saves time and is much simpler for you!

Can you register the day of the event?

There will be no race-day registration.

Is there a Chamber Challenge shirt this year?

Complimentary race shirts are included with online registration (whether you sign up for in-person or virtual) through date April 13, 2025. After that date, limited sizes will be available. We cannot guarantee shirts for any registrations after the t-shirt deadline on April 13th.

What if my shirt doesn’t fit?

If the shirt size you ordered doesn’t fit, the shirt may be exchanged AFTER the race by contacting Judi Willard, event coordinator, at jwillard@ashevillechamber.org. We cannot guarantee sizes for exchanges.

When do I pick up my race packet?

Packet pick-up for everyone (in-person and virtual registrations) is Drive-Thru, Thursday, May 1st from 12 noon until 2 PM, in the Chamber parking lot. Please enter the lot from Montford Avenue and exit via Hill Street. Your packet will contain your race bib, your t-shirt, and promotional pieces or coupons from our vendors and sponsors.

There is no race day packet pickup.

Can I pick up all the packets for my company?

Yes, please do! You must notify the participants in your company that you’re picking up all the packets. Please contact Judi Willard at jwillard@ashevillechamber.org to provide the name and company name for who’s picking up. We will have the drive-thru pick-up streamlined for you!

Questions about In-person Race:

What time does the race start?

There will be a mass start at 4 p.m. If you’re running late, proceed to the start line and let the officials know you’re there to start. Participants can start late up until 4:45 p.m. Race ends at 6 p.m.

What if I registered for the in-person race, but have to switch to virtual?

You can transfer your in-person registration to a virtual registration for free at any point before 4:00 PM on the day of the event.

Where should I park on race day?

We strongly encourage carpooling with others if you can. Please use the city parking garages available downtown and walk to the Chamber. The Chamber lot will be closed, and nearby schools will still be in session; these lots are not available for parking. If you have someone dropping you off or picking you up after the race, please plan to connect with them down Montford, away from the course.

What do I do with my race number (bib)?

Do not crinkle the bib! It contains your timing chip. Your bib with your race number should be pinned to the front of your shirt. The label at the bottom of the bib also includes your emergency contact person’s name and phone number.

What happens if it rains?

We get wet! The race takes place rain or shine. In the event of extreme weather conditions, the race will be delayed until the storm blows over, or called off. In the event of expected bad weather (with lightning, for example), we will have a plan in place for communicating with everyone at the event and/or during the event. Helpful tip: Text #cc5k to 828-827-5332 to get notifications about Chamber Challenge or emergency (severe weather) notices during event. You can opt out at any time.

Is water available on the course?

Yes! There will be two water stations where participants can easily grab a small cup or bottle and keep moving! Water is available after the finish line as well.

Are strollers allowed?

Yes, strollers are allowed. Please be courteous to other race participants along more narrow sections of the race route to allow faster runners to pass you easily.

Can I bring my dog?

No. While we love pets, we ask that everyone (race participants and spectators) leave pets at home.

Is there somewhere I can put my keys and water bottle while I run the course?

The Chamber cannot be responsible for any personal belongings while you’re participating in the race.

What do I need to bring?

Bring your photo I.D. if you plan to drink beer. Highland Beer will be available to all participants over 21. Your race bib has your one free beer coupon. Please be prepared to show I.D. and get a wristband before approaching the beer stations. For participants under age 21, your bib ticket is good for a free popsicle from Pops of WNC.

Bring cash or credit card if you want to buy additional beer tickets or t-shirts (if available).

What awards are given out?

The awards ceremony will take place at the start line at 5:30 PM. Top finishers (1st, 2nd and 3rd) overall and in each age category will be recognized.

Questions about Virtual Race:

How is the virtual race different from the in-person event?

If you sign up to participate virtually, you can run/walk a 5k course of your choice, at any time, and as many times as you want! You’ll be given a link to report your time, and if you run again with a better finish time, you can edit your time online – as many times as you’d like until the deadline of 12 midnight on Sunday, May 5th.

Do virtual participants get a shirt?

Yes! You must come to the drive-thru packet pickup between 12 noon and 3 pm on May 2^nd. If you cannot come during that time, you may pick up your shirt and goody bag from the Asheville Shop (Visitor Center gift shop) between 8:30 am and 5:00 pm Monday-Friday beginning May 6^th.