County Open running events this Saturday

    The County Open Half Marathon and The County Open Relay will be held this Saturday in Island Falls.
    The half-marathon and open relay will be at 8 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 8.  Registration for the half marathon is $30 and $60 for the Open Relay. The relay can be either 2 or 4 person teams.  
    Runners begin the race in downtown Island Falls and run toward Houlton on Route 2 and back to the start-finish line for the first quarter and then on quiet roads – some dirt – to complete the 13.1-mile loop course.  
    The 13.1-mile USA TAC certified County Open Half Marathon course is a one-of-a-kind race for runners who vacation in or live in Maine and the Canadian Maritimes.
    The race has been included in the Aroostook Musterds summer circuit promising a competitive race between runners from around the nation, state of Maine, and eastern Canada.
       Runners are competing for a purse of $1,000 broken down as follows:  first-place male and female, $200; second-place finisher male and female, $150; third, male and female, $100 and first-place male and female Masters, $50. Other prizes will also be awarded to the top finishers in various age divisions.
    The County Open Half Marathon/Relay will have each runner going at least 3.1 miles. Awards will be presented to the top finishers in the all male, all female, and mixed categories. The race is run on the same course and at the same time as The County Open Half Marathon.
    County Open baseball caps will be given to the first 100 runners to register and there will be random door prize drawings, too.
    Runners can pick up a registration packet from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 7 at Tim Hortons on the North Road in Houlton or they can register on race day, Saturday, Aug. 8. For more information or to pre-register, call Race Director John Walker at 207-415-1688 or e-mail jswalkerinc@gmail.com.