Charlotte Marathon race bibs honor runner killed in hit-and-run

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - Saturday morning, more than 13,000 people will take to the streets of the Queen City for the annual Charlotte Marathon.

This year, there’s something different about the gear everyone will be wearing.

If you look in the corner of the race bibs, you’ll see the outline of a person running. That runner is Lance Sotelo, a former Queens University student killed in a hit and run earlier this year.

For Lance’s loved ones and for the running community, this is just one way to make sure Lance’s legacy lives on.

Also read: Former Queens University athlete killed in hit-and run in east Charlotte, police say

Friday was a day of fun and excitement for many people as they picked up their Charlotte Marathon gear.

For James Holt it’s a bittersweet day.

“It hit me pretty hard to to see that. Just the emotions came up just like, wow, I can’t believe this,” Holt says.

In the corner of his bib and the bibs of the more than 13-thousand other racers, his boyfriend, Lance Sotelo’s, silhouette. Sotelo was killed in a hit and run in January while out for their daily run in east Charlotte.

“Running was his passion. I mean, it was a daily occurrence, kind of like brushing your teeth,” Holt says. “He would just go out and run every day. So, to inspire others for that, the sport itself is just, it’s so cool.”

The Charlotte Sports Foundation says they wanted to honor Sotelo after the tragedy and their impact on the running community.

“[They were] fifth place last year, first non-binary, incredible runner, and we could not be more proud of the performance that Lance put in last year, but also the legacy they left,” says Miller Yoho, a spokesperson for the Charlotte Sports Foundation. “We thought it was really a nice thing for all 13,000 runners to carry a little piece of Lance with them.”

Also read: Charlotte woman sentenced to 30 days in jail after hit-and-run killed former Queens University athlete

Lance’s legacy is now leaving an impact on runners from around the country, including the ZFT Run Club from Houston.

“It’s sentimental, right, to want to commemorate this person that was a part of the running community,” says Kelvon Yancey with ZFT Run Club Houston. “They didn’t have to do that, but they chose to make him a part of this big race that represents this city, and showing that we’re all in a family. We’re all a part of this together.”

As he gets ready to lace up his shoes to run his first ever 5K, Holt knows Lance is with him for every step, and he hopes this inspires others to live like Lance every day.

“Lance had such a passion for life. So I just want to let everybody know don’t take any day for granted. Tell the people you love you love them, because they could be taken away in an instant,” Holt says. “So don’t take any day for granted and just live your life to the fullest.”

The Charlotte Sports Foundation says this is the start of a new tradition. Moving forward, they will add a silhouette to the annual race bibs honoring someone from the marathon or running community.