The local running community has spoken and Port Washington will have its first annual Port Washington Winter Run.
The 5-mile USA Track and Field certified and sanctioned run, presented by the Community Chest of Port Washington, is scheduled for Feb. 9 and starts and finishes in North Hempstead Beach Park.
The running race starts at 8 a.m. and is followed by a party in a heated tent with food, sandwiches and dessert donated by local restaurants and businesses, including DiMaggio’s Trattoria & Bar.
Entertainment is provided by Off Peak, a local “Dad” band, and beer is sponsored by the Greenport Harbor Brewing Company, who will be treating the runners to several of their unique brews.
The event sponsor is the Peter & Jeri Dejana Family Foundation. The run and post-race party is open to participants ages 21 and older.
The fee for all runners is $50 which includes the post-race party.
Participants will receive a long-sleeved dri-fit shirt and finishers will receive a medal. Awards based on gun time will be given to the top three athletes overall, male and female and first-place finishers, and male and female in 10-year age categories.
The Community Chest is respectful of the inconvenience to residents living along West Shore Road and in Beacon Hill. For that reason, and to minimize any lane closure times, the Port Washington Winter Run is open to participants with a running pace of 15 minutes, and a finish time not to exceed 75 minutes.
The Port Washington Police Department will be notifying residents of the road closures with LED traffic sign boards which will be put up a few days before the run along Beacon Hill Road and West Shore Road.
The race’s technical director is the internationally recognized David Katz of Finish Line Road Race Technicians who designed and measured the course and is also the race timer.
For Run or traffic information, call the Community Chest at (526) 767-2121 or email info@portchest.org. To see the race website, see FAQs or register, go to www.portchest.org and click on the announcement bar at the top of the home page.
Proceeds benefit the Community Chest of Port Washington, a 501 (c) (3) charitable organization that raises and distributes funds to charities dedicated to improving the Port Washington community for all residents.