(Photo/Oak Tree Half Marathon and 5K Run/Walk Facebook page)
GENESEO – Sunday’s Oak Tree Half-Marathon and 5K run and walk, which has already flown to the lead group of the region’s running events, is geared to be the best yet, and the GeneseeSun.com will be broadcasting the races live on our Sun TV Live Stream page.
Ben Gajewski, Executive Director of the Genesee Valley Nature Conservancy, announced in July that the Oak Tree was designated the featured distance event in the Rochester Runner of the Year Series, which culminates with crowning the top male and female runners in the area.
“To be part of that series is an honor,” said Gajewski. “A fairly high percentage of runners use our race as a training goal, and we should be seeing a lot of top runners. We are on track to break our attendance record.”
Interested runners can register online here. Packet pickup and registration are from noon to 5:30 p.m. on Friday Aug. 4 at the Bank of Castile in Pittsford, from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday at the Big Tree Inn in Geneseo, and from 6:30 a.m. to 7:35 a.m. on Sunday at Geneseo Central School Sunday.
In addition to being part of the series, race organizers have established a new elite field. Top runners from throughout the region can receive discounted entry into the race if they match set time standards.
In keeping with the local theme and character of the event, age group runners and random awards will be given out that include honey harvested from along the course, Monk’s bread from the Abbey of the Genesee, and handmade medals from Hog Shed Studio pottery out of Little Valley, NY.
Top finishers will, as always, win a live baby oak tree grown from a Genesee Valley acorn donated by Palmiters Garden Nursery.
All proceeds benefit the Genesee Valley Conservancy, which preserves local land in and around Livingston County.