St. Pete’s inaugural Skyway 10K raised $560,000 for the Armed Forces Families Foundation. Credit: Courtesy of Skyway 10K

Think 7,000 runners is a lot? Going on its second year in St. Petersburg, the annual Skyway 10K has upped its participant capacity to 8,000 — just in time for registration, which opens online at 1 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 13.

The Skyway 10K is scheduled for March 3. To get in on this 6.2-mile cardio sesh that crosses the span of St. Pete’s iconic Sunshine Skyway Bridge, the general registration fee is $80 (a price tag that includes a race bib with timing chip, shirt and finisher’s medal). The splurgier experience costs $300 per person, but it has the added bonus of perks like VIP parties.

The race begins on I-275 at the rest area just south of the Skyway and then ends on the bridge’s north side. Changes include redesigned bus corrals to accelerate the loading and post-run unloading process at Tropicana Field, a new app with live updates for both iPhone and Android users, and bleacher seating in case spectators want to catch their loved ones in action around the Trop’s JumboTron.

Proceeds benefit the Armed Forces Families Foundation, a nonprofit that funds projects to help military service members and their families.

The inaugural Skyway 10K — which raised $560,000 for the foundation and drew participants from 40 states, three countries and all five branches of the U.S. armed forces — sold out in less than five days. Organizers expect next year’s installment to sell out even sooner.