Sleigh the Course 5K races into the holiday season

BY KADIE TAYLOR

THE LAFAYETTE SUN

VALLEY — Run and have fun at the seventh annual Valley Parks and Recreation Sleigh the Course 5K. The race takes place on Dec. 6 and begins at 9 a.m., but the last shuttle will depart from the Valley Farmers Market at 8:40 a.m. Registration is $30 per person, and participants can register the morning of the race. To register, visit Valley Parks and Recreation on Facebook or contact Valley Parks and Recreation Aquatics Manager Bobby Poer by emailing bpoer@cityofvalley.com.

“The idea is that it's a 5k run or walk, our Merry Go Round has been a Christmas tradition here in the Valley since 1956 — and we wanted to have something cool to add on to that,” Poer said. “While it doesn't raise a ton of funding — it does help with offsetting the cost of the Merry Go Round itself.”

Poer said the Sleigh the Course 5K will be a point-to-point race, with the finish line at the Merry Go Round entrance.

“After the race we'll invite all of the participants to stay, enjoy the Merry Go Round and ride it with us,” he said. “[The race is ] 3.1 miles — we will have a water stop at about the halfway point, and we're going to add a few little extra things to it this year that we haven't had in the past. We're going to have one spot in particular where we're actually going to have candy canes hanging from some spots right beside the rails that runners can grab on their way — adding a little extra Christmassy thing to go with the race.”

For those who love Christmas cheer, but are not racing runners, Poer said many attendees walk the Sleigh the Course 5K — there will also be awards for the overall female and male finishers, and awards for top three female and male finishers in each age category.

“We have a lot of people that will walk the race, technically we have a time limit on the race of one hour — but even if they take longer than that, we'll still record their finish and they will receive their finisher medals,” he said. “We have lots of people that participate every year, who have no intentions of ever running a step, and they don't have to. If you want to come out and run, walk or participate while pushing the stroller — we'd love that.”

Through the Sleigh the Course 5K, Poer said the funds raised will ensure the Merry Go Round can continue to brighten Valley during the holiday season. Poer said he also wants to recognize the work of the Valley Parks and Recreation Director Jon Neal and the Valley Parks and Recreation Program Coordinator Annabel Thompson for their hard work and dedication to Valley activities and events.

“If you enjoy the Merry Go Round and enjoy the tradition of [it], this is a great opportunity to come and be a part of something that helps promote it and helps pay for the Merry Go Round,” he said. “If you are a runner who's trying to get a fast time in a 5k — with this being a point-to-point race this year, it will be a very fast course, because it will be mostly downhill. If you are a beginner runner, or if you haven't really run at all, it's worth it for the atmosphere — just to come and be a part of it. The Valley Rails to Trails are beautiful this time of year — you get to finish at the Merry Go Round, and then ride it with the family — make some memories. It's a wholesome, fun and beautiful thing.”