Preston Park group adds new race to boost participation
The organizers of the annual Preston Park trail race are adding a 10K to the event this year, in hopes of increasing attendance by people who will want to take on the challenge.
The Preston Park 5K and 10K will take place Oct. 20 at the park in Butler Township and will feature a new 10K course that will take participants through even more scenes the park has to offer.
Tony Stagno, president of the Friends of Preston Park Foundation, said the event is not only a fundraiser that helps maintain the park, but also a chance to bring more people to it to experience the 88-acre park.
“We're bringing in people from the area, and the response is normally 'what a beautiful place to run,’” Stagno said. “The race combines the community, my volunteers ... it's a nice community event.”
Preston Park has miles of trails all around it, which take people through the woods and also past scenery like the arboretum, the Preston lab, the meadow, the prairie and more. The 10K route even takes people up the old ski slope, Stagno said.
The bravest of all runners will go for the 15K that day, by running the 5K first and then the 10K immediately after. Stagno said it was suggested to the friends foundation by Herb Cratty, who does the timekeeping for the 5K, to add the longer distance option, because many runners like that kind of challenge.
“He's the one who told me ... ‘if you want those numbers to go up, add a 10K,’” Stagno said. “The 10K is tough. It's in parts of the trail we normally don't work on or travel to.”
Registration costs $25 for the 5K, $35 for the 10K and $50 for people who sign up for both at once. Registration can be completed online or at the event on race day.
