Lace Up Your Sneakers ... Newtown Road Race Set For October 1

By Andy Hutchison

Steve Meeker, director of the Newtown Road Race, announced that the sixth annual 5K race and Kids Run, originally scheduled for September 3, will be held Saturday, October 1. The event time and location — 9 am beginning at Dickinson Park — remain the same.

Meeker said that despite an initial clearance to proceed with the event, the race committee learned on the evening of September 1 that the course could not be declared safe from the standpoint of additional falling trees/wires/debris resulting from Tropical Storm Irene.

Newtown police indicated that until Connecticut Light & Power crews could review the entire course (in addition to most/all other roads in town), that safety could not be guaranteed and the race committee’s permit was canceled, Meeker said. The race director added that he is appreciative of the efforts of police to take into account the safety of participants.

Some 250 runners registered in advance of the race, and Meeker said race officials made an effort to reach all of them prior to the original race date, via home and cellphone numbers, as well as e-mail. Additionally, race officials were on site on September 3 to inform the half-dozen or so runners who didn’t have power and couldn’t be reached and, thus, arrived ready to run, only to find out the race had been postponed. “People were very understanding,” Meeker said. He added that race organizers have also reached out to all registered runners to inform them of the rescheduled date.

The race director said race organizers are faced with significant losses — including perishable food, and rented portable toilets and tables. The Newtown Road Race is a 100 percent volunteer effort and proceeds benefit Newtown Youth & Family Services. Net proceeds stand to be lower as a result of the losses, Meeker said, but much of the money could be regained by a large turnout and support.

“It’s frustrating — it’s disappointing not to be able to pull the event off,” said Meeker, adding that, on the other hand, “people are dealing with much more difficult circumstances than we’re dealing with.”

Meeker said he expects some of the registered runners to be lost due to the date change, but that he also anticipates a similar number to come out on the rescheduled date because of the fact the race draws a local crowd.

“We plead with preregistered runners to let us carry your entry over to the new date,” Meeker said. The race director added that he is hopeful that runners who can’t attend are willing to consider donating their registration fee, but recognizes that some may not be in position to do so.

Runners may sign up in advance for $20 or on race day for $25. The Kids Run fee is $5, with a maximum of $10 per family.

Meeker encourages racers to contact race organizers at newtownroadrace@yahoo.com with questions. Visit www.newtownroadrace.com for more information, including to register. Those who sign up in advance may pick up their race packets, which include bibs, T-shirts, and timing chips, at New Balance, 83 Stony Hill Road in Bethel, on the Thursday and Friday before the race.