And we're off to the races...

If you're planning to run the Summer Breeze 5K in Charlotte's Freedom Park on Saturday morning, get ready for another hot one.

According to the National Weather Service, temperature at the start is expected to be in the mid-70s ... and since the women run first, at 7:30 a.m., followed by the men at 8, the Fahrenheit may eclipse 80 degrees by the time middle-of-the-pack guys cross the finish line.

The Summer Breeze race, sponsored by Run For Your Life, is held annually during the weekend of the summer solstice, which results in the longest day and the shortest night of the year. It became a morning event in 2009, after several years as an evening race.

Last year, 312 women and 257 men participated. Alana Hadley (then 12 years old) of Charlotte was the fastest female finisher, in 19:19.

You can register online (here) through midnight Thursday for $20, or $15 for children K-12. There's also a kids' "fun run" at 8:45 (cost is $5). On race day, fees go up to $30/$20, or $10 for the fun run. Proceeds benefit the Charlotte Track & Triathlon Club.

For full Summer Breeze details, click here.

Oh, and if you want to take a break from racing, organizers are looking for volunteers, too. Find out how you can help by e-mailing Charlotte Track and Triathlon Club volunteer coordinator Lana Torkildsen at PiggyTork@carolina.rr.com.

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If you're looking for a new and different type of racing challenge, there's also this:

Miles of Mooresville
What: Summer race series, featuring 1-, 2- and 3-mile events.
When: Friday night. One-mile race starts at 7, two-miler starts at 7:20, 3-miler starts at 8 p.m.
Cost: For $25 (or $30 on race day), runners can participate in any or all of these races.
Where: Registration opens at 5:45 p.m. at the Charles Mack Citizen Center in downtown Mooresville (North Main Street and Moore Avenue). The start line is two blocks south, on South Main between Center and McLelland streets.
Why: All proceeds will be donated to local charities in the Mooresville area, including the Humane Society of Iredell County's "no-kill" shelter.
Of note: This is the first event in the series, which features identical races on July 16 and Aug. 13. Each runner will receive a technical T-shirt and one free beer provided by Carolina Blonde (ID required). There will be live music and kids activities.
Race website: Click here.