Serious runners, casual competitors and avid walkers should mark their calendars for the Wilmot Community Association’s (WCA) 10th annual Black Fly Blitz 5K starting at 9 AM on Memorial Day, Monday, May 26 in Wilmot Flat.
The first 100 runners to register will receive a free Black Fly Blitz t-shirt. Online registration, which closes at noon on Friday, May 23, is available at WilmotCommunityAssociation.org.
Until May 23, race registration is free for children age 10 years and younger; $15 for youths 9 to 17 and adults 65 and older; and $25 for adults 18 to 64. On race day, registration for adults 18 and older will increase by $5.
“To commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Black Fly Blitz, we will waive the entry fee for children 10 and younger,” said Marc Davis, a member of the Black Fly Blitz Committee. “We’ll also have special prizes for the first 10 finishers and accolades for the 110th and 210th finishers.”
Day-of registration opens at 7 AM on Monday, May 26 under the registration tent on the Wilmot Town Green at the intersection of Kearsarge Valley and Village roads in Wilmot Flat.
“For the third consecutive year, coaches and members of the Kearsarge Regional High School track and cross-country teams will be assisting the WCA on race day,” said Ann Davis, president of the WCA board. Acknowledging the value of the volunteers’ time, the teams will receive a portion of the race proceeds.
“We are delighted to be able to assist with this event,” said Peter Angus, coach at KRHS. “This collaboration is a win-win for our teams and the WCA.”
The 3.1-mile, 5K scenic course is a clockwise loop that starts on Village Road and continues on Shindagan Road, to Cross Hill Road, to Campground Road, and then to Village Road. It is a relatively flat course over slightly undulating terrain. Water will be available at the mid-point of the race. Runners will receive beverages, fruit, and bagels after the race.
Awards will be presented at 10:15 AM at the Wilmot Bandstand, on the Wilmot Town Green next to the Wilmot Town Office building at 9 Kearsarge Valley Road. The Cloud Duo will play classic rock and country music. Activities for children will include face painting and games. Non-runners may purchase food at the event.
The Black Fly Blitz is the WCA’s largest fund-raising event of the year. Proceeds support the organization’s operations and activities. Events organized in 2014 by the WCA include Imagination into Art on June 27 and 28; Pie Breakfast on July 12; Harvest Home Luncheon on September 27; Halloween trick or treating on October 31; the annual Holiday Craft Fair on December 6; and the Wilmot Express on December 14.
The WCA owns and operates the Red Barn on Village Road and the Timmy Patten Park on Shindagan Road. More information is available from WilmotCommunityAssociation.org, 526-7934, or WCA@nulltds.com.