The 9th annual Mount Albert Sports Day 5km Run/Walk will be held on June 4, 2011 starting at 9:00 a.m. after a warm up and stretch at 8:45 a.m. This fun, family-focused race is part of the 86th Mount Albert Sports Day weekend which started in 1925 with a parade and ball games, horseshoe pitching, races and other sports. Today new and exciting activities have been added and all racers receive free entrance into the fair on race day. Mount Albert is a small community within an hour northeast of Toronto and relatively untouched by the rapid development of areas further south.
The OTFA certified Mount Albert Sports Day 5k encourages racers of all ages and abilities. The oldest racer last year was 85 years old, and the youngest only a few months. Race records are held by Mario Iozzo of Toronto, with a time of 15:28 in 2006, and Sarah Nagy of Newmarket, with a time of 17:57 in 2007. The race route passes through the residential and business sections of Mount Albert into the slightly rolling countryside, past farmers fields, horses, donkeys, and rural scenery . Choose to: run 5km for a personal best; walk 5 km for a fun morning with friends; enter two to five team members to walk/ run the team challenge; or enter up to four family members to walk/ run the family challenge. You can register for the race on the Running Room website at http://www.events.runningroom.com/site/?raceId=6359
and if you register now, you will save money! Fees increase on May 6. The first 200 registrants will receive a free t-shirt specially designed for the race by local artist, Ian McTavish. Last-minute registrations are accepted up to 8:30 a.m. on Race Day.
Racers come from Mount Albert and the GTA including York and Durham Regions and are well rewarded for their efforts: there is a special prize for a man and woman who break the race record; age group medals three deep in each of the male and female categories; all racers under 14 receive a special ribbon from the Town of East Gwillimbury; each of the fastest man and woman over the course on race day and the fastest Mount Albert man and woman receives a prize; there is a team prize and a family prize for the winners of these challenges. Through the “bike draw”, each racer will have an opportunity to win a mountain bike sponsored by Spoke O’Motion of Newmarket. Racers and spectators can donate for additional tickets on race day. And there are lots more prizes to be won in the lucky draw after the race.
Profits from the race will go towards making an outdoor family skating rink! Keeping the community safe and engaged, and promoting health and fitness are priorities for the Town of Mount Albert.
For more information visit our website (www.mountalbertsportsday5k.ca); chat with us on Face Book, follow us on Twitter, email us at info. mnt.albert.5km@gmail.com, or phone us at 905.473.3766.