The 12th annual Fiddler 5K and One Mile Fun Run, sponsored by Habitat for Humanity of DeKalb County, will be Saturday, July 3rd, the weekend of the Smithville Fiddler’s Jamboree.
Race Director Tecia Puckett-Pryor says the race begins promptly at 7:00 a.m. rain or shine on Highway 56 north in front of the Family Medical Center. The race ends on Church Street. “We’re excited that the 12th annual Fiddler 5K and One Mile Fun Run is Saturday, July 3rd which is the weekend of the Fiddlers Jamboree. The race starts promptly at 7:00 a.m. and we are now taking pre-registrations. We are encouraging everyone who is interested in either running the race or doing the fun run, which is a great little race for kids, to get registered.”
“We are offering registration at www.active.com. You can register on-line up until June 30th and you still get the pre-registration discount if you register on-line. By paper, you can print out a form at www.fiddler5k.com but we need you to register by Monday, June 21st if you are registering by paper. That’s a little bit of a change this year. We’ve cut the paper registration (deadline) off a little early this year because we’re offering the on-line registration.”
“You can also register on the day of the race but you have to pay $5.00 more if you do that and we’re asking that you go ahead and bring a completed registration form with you if you have to register on race day. All these details are on our website and on the registration form which is available at www.fiddler5k.com.”
If you would like a registration form and you don’t have access to the Internet, you may pick up a form at the office of Tecia Puckett-Pryor, who works at Sue Puckett Jernigan’s law office next to Griffin’s Fruit Market on West Broad Street. Call 597-7370 for more information.
Pryor says this year’s 5K will also feature some new age divisions. “We have added several new age divisions. We had so many people last year, 387 total participants, and about 250 or so of those were in the 5K, that we have decided we need more age divisions. We’re going to have categories for ages nine and younger and then five year increments all the way up to age 75 plus, 10-14, 15-19, etc. That’s in the male and female division for the 5K.”
“We’re also adding a Masters category. We always give out an overall male and female finisher in the 5K but if you are age 40 plus, you qualify for the Masters category so we’re giving an overall 40 and older male and female award for the 5K.”
” The Fun Run is remaining the same. We will give an overall male and female finisher award for those ages 12 and younger and the top three after that, male and female, ages 12 and younger. We’re really excited about those new age divisions.”
Pryor says the course is certified and R.A.C.E. Nashville will be managing timing. “We’re also excited to bring on RA.C.E. Nashville to help us manage the timing. They will be there at the start and at the finish. We have gotten so big that we cannot manually do this ourselves anymore. This is a great organization out of Nashville that is going to help us with it. It’s all going to be computerized so we will have the results in the computer broken down by age divisions within probably fifteen to twenty minutes of the end of the race. They will be able to print out the results very quickly for us so we’re still anticipating having our awards within thirty minutes of the end of the race and definitely being out of there by nine o’clock. on Saturday morning. The director of R.A.C.E. Nashville, Jeff Langdon, is the cross country and track coach at Belmont University. This is a non-profit group and they help manage timing for a lot of races. They have many years of experience in doing this.”
Pryor says the race is growing in popularity and more local people are starting to get involved. “The race course is a certified 3.1 mile course. It’s a nice course. People really enjoy running in a small town. We have a lot of repeat runners so I think that says we’re doing something right. We have more local people than we used to. The race has caught on and people want to get out and participate. It’s just fun to be out there. It’s a great event and people want to be apart of that.”
36 year old Christopher England of Murray, Kentucky was the 2009 overall winner of the 5K. He completed the course in 16:51. England also holds the course record at 16:30 in 2008.
19 year old Lisa Glover of Warrington, Pennsylvania was the 2009 overall winner for females. She finished the course in 20:30.
Caroline Payne of Gainesville, Florida holds the course record for females at 20:02 in 2004.
Registration for the 5K or Fun Run is as follows:
Adults rates (over 18)
Adults Pre-Race: $20
Adults Day of Race: $25
Youth rates (18 and younger)
Youth Pre-Race: $15
Youth Day of Race: $20
Re-registration options:
Pre-register online at www.active.com until June 30th
Pre-register by mail by printing a form at www.fiddler5k.com and sending the form along with your payment to: P.O. Box 750, Smithville, Tennessee 37166. Pre-registration forms must be received in the mail by June 21st. Shirts are only guaranteed for those pre-registered by June 21st.
Race Day Check-In Times:
Pre-registered: 6:15 a.m.
Race Day Registration: 6:00 a.m.
Please bring a completed registration form with you
Awards- New Age Divisions
5K awards:
Overall and Master (40 plus) male and female finishers
Top three male and female finishers in the following age divisions:
9 and younger
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75 plus
Fun Run Awards:
Overall male and female finishers age 12 and younger
Top three male and female finishers age 12 and younger
Race Perks and other information:
Pre-registered participants will receive a commemorative microfiber shirt. All participants will receive free refreshments and be eligible for door prize giveaways before the awards ceremony
The Course is certified and R.A.C.E. Nashville will be managing timing. Strollers are welcome and at the start line, should line up at the rear. No pets allowed. 5K course is open for 60 minutes.
All proceeds will benefit Habitat for Humanity of DeKalb County.
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