Registration under way for Veterans Day Midpoint Madness 5K
The annual Veterans Day Midpoint Madness 5K run will be held Thursday, Nov. 11, at 7 p.m., with the proceeds benefiting the Lee County YMCA, The United Way and PFC Corey Kent, a soldier currently recovering from injuries he suffered while serving in Afghanistan.
YMCA Development Director Hannah Pelle said they have hosted the event for more than 10 years. Last year the event attracted an estimated 800 runners and about 500 spectators.
Pelle said they raised an estimated revenue of about $10 per runner for the YMCA.
The race will also benefit Kent this year.
“This race is on Veterans Day and this year we wanted to give a portion of the proceeds to one of our local heroes,” Pelle said about Kent.
Kent was awarded the purple heart and medal of valor after being wounded in Afghanistan. He was on foot patrol when he was hit by an improvised explosive device in northern Afghanistan in July of this year. Kent graduated with honors from Mariner High School in 2006.
The course will begin at the Midpoint Bridge at Colonial Boulevard and McGregor Boulevard. The course will begin on Colonial at the top of the McGregor fly-over and end near the entrance of Royal Palm Square Shopping Center on Colonial.
The entry fees for the event is $20 for those who registered before Nov. 1, $25 for those who register up until Nov. 10 and $35 the day of the race. The entry fee for individuals who are under 17-years-old is $15 in advance and $25 the day of the race.
A commemorative T-shirt will be given to all registered participants and a variety of food and drinks will be available on Veterans Day.
The event will be timed with the new ChronoTrack Timing system, which is a disposable D-tag timing strip for participants shoes. The system will be given to participants when they pick up their race number.
Packets can be picked up from Nov. 5-10 at YMCA and from 4:30-6:45 p.m. at Royal Palm Square Court Yard on Nov. 11
For information or to register, visit www.ftmyerstrackclub.com.