First Annual Centennial 5K Fun Run/Walk scheduled for August 19 atValdosta State University

The 100th birthday celebration of Valdosta State University will continue on August 19 with the option to walk or run a span of 3.1 miles. The 8:30 a.m. Saturday morning event, open to the public, will follow an evening of entertainment and fireworks the night before in celebration of the VSU Centennial.

"The Valdosta State community is excited about our first Centennial 5K Fun Run/Walk," said Centennial Operations Manager Mary Gooding. "We invite the entire community to come and compete with us. We hope this will become a greatly anticipated, annual event for years to come."

Runners and walkers alike will witness the most recent campus improvements, as the course takes them along the perimeter of main campus and athletic facilities. The course begins on N. Patterson Street in front of the West Hall fountain. Participants will proceed right at Brookwood Drive, left at N. Oak Street, and right at West Ann Street. The course continues alongside the Sunset Cemetery, turns right onto Sustella Avenue, right at Baytree Road and left back onto N. Oak Street. Runners will take a right at Georgia Avenue and another right into the heart of the Valdosta State campus, following the newly constructed Pedestrian Mall down and back. Once back, participants will turn right onto Georgia Avenue and finish the course by turning right at N. Patterson Street back to the West Hall front lawn.

VSU's Campus Wellness Committee, formed in 2002 as an initiative that promotes and supports an increased awareness and practice of a healthy lifestyle among the university's faculty, staff and students, is co-sponsoring the centennial fun run/walk, along with the Centennial Steering Committee. CPR-certified student employees from VSU's Campus Recreation will serve as road guards and will be posted at all course turns and street crossings. VSU's Council on Staff Affairs will provide adequate water stations along the course, and the university's Student Health Services will operate a first aid station.

"This is a joint effort involving diverse campus organizations, further enhanced with community participation. I encourage everyone to come out for great fun, a little exercise and maybe even a medal!" Gooding challenged.

Centennial Fun Run/Walk medals will be awarded to the first, second and third place male and female winners in nine age categories, as well as to the top three male and female finishers in the walkers division. Medals will also be given to the overall first place male and female finishers. These medals will be presented by VSU President Ronald M. Zaccari.

Entry fees are $10 through race day. All VSU students are only $5 through race day. Registration forms can be obtained from the VSU website at http://www.valdosta.edu/news/media/2006/06/Fun_Run_Form.pdf or at Get Active Running and More, located at 3200-C North Ashley Street. Get Active has provided accurate measurements and mapping of the race course and will organize all official race results.

For more information, please contact the VSU Office of University Relations at 229-333-5980.

5K Map: http://www.valdosta.edu/news/media/2006/08/VSU_FunRunMap.pdf