Get your running shoes on this Sunday, May 1 for the upcoming first ever May Day 5K to benefit the Norwalk River Valley Trail (NRVT). The race kicks off the Wilton Go Green Festival this Sunday, May 1. As media sponsor for the race, GOOD Morning Wilton invites you to join in, as there is still time to register.
The May Day 5K is being organized by Wilton’s own Outdoor Sports Center, and is one way the local business aims to help support healthy living throughout the community. According to OSC owner Will Maxwell, they’re thrilled to be part of the annual Wilton Go Green (WGG) Festival community event, as supporting WGG’s goals of promoting conservation and sustainability, and educating the community how to take better care of our planet, fits with OSC’s priorities.
“We are very excited to be hosting this race, and for the opportunity to raise awareness for the NRVT. We feel that the NRVT Wilton Loop will be one of this town’s biggest assets in the future, and there are so many ways that it will improve our daily lives. Hopefully this helps build momentum to continue raising money for the trail this year,” Maxwell says.
Along those lines, OSC has committed to keeping the NRVT May Day 5K a green race, and all materials used to promote and put on the event will be recyclable.
The 5K will start and finish at the Wilton Go Green Festival headquarters at the Wilton Library parking Lot. It will run along the western side of the NRVT’s Wilton loop, through Merwin Meadows Park on the Norwalk River Valley Trail to Wilton High School and back.
Patricia Sesto, NRVT chairman is grateful for what the 5K will bring to her organization’s efforts.
“We are very excited for our first 5K on the NRVT. With so much attention given to the east side of the NRVT’s “Wilton Loop,” the route of this 5K is a great opportunity for people to see the other half of the trail and how it blends with Wilton Center and the school complex. The NRVT is a true asset to the town and we thank Outdoor Sports for helping build support with this run.”
The top three male and top three female finishers will receive awards. According to Maxwell the awards are “unique.”
“They are small cheeseboards from Soundview Millworks in Darien. Each cheese board is engraved with the finisher’s place and the race logo on one side.”
In addition, OSC will offer 10-percent off the purchase of running shoes for all registered runners, a discount which Maxwell says almost matches the price for race registration.
Outdoor Sports Center and GOOD Morning Wilton are joined by other local businesses as sponsors, including: Wilton Family YMCA, Village Market, Little Pub of Wilton, Wilton Hardware, Freyer Academy of Ballet, CT Coffee and Grill, Hello Yoga and Signature Style.
Race packet pickup begins at 9 a.m. and the race starts at 10:30 a.m.. The festival begins at 11 a.m. and awards will be given out at 11:30 a.m.. $25 fee, t-shirt is included in the registration fee. To register ahead of time, visit the May Day 5K webpage.