The Minnesota Commercial Real Estate Women's (MNCREW) annual women's 10-mile run and 5K run/walk will likely have 1,000 participants signed up by July 1. No wonder, ESPN rated the event one of the five best races for women in the country.

Slated for Sept. 22, the majority of the proceeds from the event benefit the Ann Bancroft Foundation's "Dare to Dream" and "Let Me Play" grants for girls, as well as the CREW Network Foundation, which promotes the advancement of women in the commercial real estate field.

The event has a limit of 3,000 participants. The fee for the women's 10-mile run is $50 and $30 for the 5K run/walk. But after July 1, the fee increases to $60 for the 10-miler and $40 for the 5K. The fee for the girls' 1-mile run remains the same at $15.

One of the race's organizers, Robin Armstrong, says the group is ahead of last year's sign-up pace, and the group expects to reach its limit by the fall. "Women Run the Cities has sold out the past several years and 2013 looks to be no different," Armstrong said in a statement. "We certainly want to encourage women and girls to register soon. We are very excited about the seventh annual Women Run the Cities and hope that all the participants will feel empowered to challenge themselves at this year's event."

The race starts and ends in Minnehaha Park in Minneapolis, with the 10-mile run beginning at 8 a.m., the girls' 1-mile run at 8:10 a.m., and the women's 5k run/walk at 8:30 a.m. The course takes runners through the park and roads along both the Minneapolis and St. Paul sides of the Mississippi River.

Janet Moore covers commercial real estate for the Star Tribune.