- April 18, 2024
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Charity race offers free admission to Run or Dye registrants
So little time, so many 5K races to run.
It seems like there’s a choice of 5K races every weekend, and the competition is starting to have an effect.
Donna Hiatt, of the Daytona Beachcombers Running Club, said 5K races draw fewer participants these days.
“People have a lot of choices,” she said. “Every weekend there’s at least two on Saturday and one on Sunday somewhere in the area. Some of them are doing all they can to get runners in them.”
Hiatt said people oftn call her to ask help organize a raise.
“They think it’s an easy way to raise money,” she said, “but they may be going to the well too often.”
Also, she said there’s more to it than people realize. She has noticed that some organizations have one 5K race and then never have another.
She said a race should be certified for distance and timed, and should be in an interesting location. She said if a runner likes a race they will go back to it year after year.
She said her club decided to have only one race per year, a signature event called the Palmer College Chiropractic Paint the Town 5K. This year, it will on Nov. 2 at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. The proceeds go to pay for scholarships for students who take part in track and field. (To register, visit runsignup.com).
To attract runners, Hiatt said race organizers are trying different things, such as running cross country.
“People pick a race because they like the course, or the amenities or the charity,” she said.
Hiatt also said there’s an unwritten code of ethics among runners not to schedule a race on a weekend with another race. She said out-of-town organizers will schedule a race and don’t care if they conflict with another race.
“It hurts both races,” she said.
Liz Soule is outreach coordinator at Stewart Marchman Act Beach House, which has had a 5K race for 19 years. This year’s race is the Ocean Deck 5K Beach and Fun Run on Nov. 8.
Soule agrees that there’s a lot of competition.
“It’s the trendy thing right now.”
One reason, she said, is that a 5K race is a relatively manageable distance for people to work up to.
“It’s not like a marathon,” she said.
For a difference this year, SMA is having their race in the afternoon, rather than the morning. It ends at the Ocean Deck, where the runners can enjoy music.
She also agreed a successful 5K race is not easy.
“You have to get a good company to time it, and you need to make it a good experience,” she said. “We have a raffle and 70 percent of the runners get a prize.”
Also, they are offering T-shirts with team names for the price of 10 registrations.
Race waives entrance fees for Run or Dye runners
Soule said that organizers have decided to offer free admission to the Ocean Deck 5K Beach race for people who signed up for the cancelled Sept. 13 Run or Dye race. The Run or Dye organization informed those who registered that money would not be refunded, but they could take part in races in Haines City or Georgia.
“As soon as we heard about people not receiving their registration money back, we knew we had to do something,” Soule said. “We thought it was a bad break and not fair.”
The race, set for 4 p.m. on Nov. 8 at the Ocean Deck, benefits the Stewart Marchman Act BEACH House.
BEACH stands for “Bringing Enrichment and Children Home.” It’s a shelter that provides short-term housing for youth ages 10 to 17, who are truant, ungovernable or runaway/homeless.
To register for the race, visit smabehaviorial.org/5k. For information or to be a sponsor, call 236-3309 or email [email protected]. Those registered for Run or Dye must show proof of payment.
