The 34th annual UMPI Spring Runoff 5K Road Race will be held Saturday, April 12 at 10 a.m. at the University of Maine at Presque Isle. The race is one of many fund-raising efforts for the UMPI Owls’ cross country and track and field programs, and is the second race in the Aroostook Musterds’ County Challenge Series.
After the first race, the Wild Katahdin Trust Snow Run in Houlton on Feb. 15, Kimberley Wright and Ty Thurlow are the overall leaders after capturing overall titles.
Other series leaders after that first of the seven series races are Teagan Ewings (14 years of age and under), Chris Rines and Frankie White (19-29), Shawn Berry and Nicole Hanscom (30-39), Craig Dubay and Angela Ewings (40-49), Leo Kashian (50-59), Larry Tonzi (60-69) and Jana Shaw (walkers).
After this Saturday’s UMPI Spring Runoff 5K, the series continues with the S.W. Collins 5K (June 22 in Caribou) followed by the Musterd Mile (July 11 in Caribou), The Potato Blossom 5-Miler (July 19 in Fort Fairfield), The County Open Half-Marathon (Aug. 16 in Island Falls) and the Caribou Labor Day Road Race 8K (Sept. 1 in Caribou).
Spring Runoff 5K course records are held by Gabrielle (Cyr) Wheeler in 18:46 (2012) and Curtis Wheeler in 15:33 (2010).
Despite the amount of snow still on the ground, race director Christopher Smith is hoping for a good turnout Saturday as he said “running seems to be undergoing another resurgence of popularity” in Aroostook County.
Proceeds from the race will support the UMPI varsity cross country teams as well as the track and field club program. Funds will be raised through sponsorships and entry fees.
Registration begins at Wieden Gymnasium at 8 a.m. Walkers will start at 9:30 a.m. and runners at 10 a.m. Runners may compete in age-specific women’s and men’s categories as well as in a co-ed three-person relay division, which will allow inexperienced and shorter distance racers to participate.
For more information, contact Smith at 768-9472 or at christopher.smith@umpi.edu.
