EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

Rain or shine, the 5k and kids’ fun run will Go Forth Saturday, September 18 at Deep Run Park (9900 Ridgefield Parkway, Henrico, VA).  The current forecast is partly cloudy with a low of 66 and a high of 86. Beware that there will be dew on the grass in the field, so be prepared to have damp shoes. If you’re going somewhere after the race, you might want to bring a pair of dry socks and shoes for changing after.

If you have children at Saint Mary’s Catholic School, your race packet *should* come home on Friday. Our t-shirt vendor is not sure what time she’ll get the shirts to us tomorrow, though, so we will say a prayer and do what we can — it takes a couple of hours to sort and put together the packets and distribute them. If you registered recently, your packet may or may not have shirts in it. To avoid over purchasing, we didn’t order extra t-shirts. If your shirt isn’t in your race packet, know that we plan to make a second order of t-shirts after the race. Thank you for understanding. 

If you don’t have children at Saint Mary’s Catholic School (or potentially if we can’t get all the packets distributed tomorrow), you can pick up your packet on race day. We’ll begin race-day packet pickup at 7:30 a.m. Please plan to arrive by no later than 7:30 a.m. Saturday if you need to pick up your packet, so you’ll have plenty of time to park and find your way to the start area.

Arrival Time:

Saint Mary’s student Mercy Grapes will sing the National Anthem starting at approximately 7:55 a.m., there will be a prayer to bless the participants and the event, and the kids’ fun run will start at 8 a.m . The  5k will begin at 8:30 a.m.

Parking:

The races start and finish in the clearing across from the lake at Deep Run. The best parking spot is in the second parking lot on the right once you enter Deep Run Park; the second-best parking spot is at the Deep Run Recreation Center parking lot, which is across the street from where our races will begin.

Kids’ Fun Run:

The kids’ run is not quite a mile – it’ll be two loops around the lake at Deep Run. This event is about fun, not competition. If your child feels better just finishing one loop, or you want to walk/jog along with your child, that’s ok with us!

5k Run:

The 5k is a bit more competitive. If you plan to walk or to run with a jog stroller, please position yourself toward the back of the pack at the race start. The 5k course is rolling, and about half on paved trail and half on gravel. The course will be marked with flour the night before the race. We’ll have several course marshals helping to direct you where to go. Most of the course is on pedestrian paths or trails within the park; however, a short portion of the course, which you’ll encounter once on your way out and once on the way back, runs on the primary road into and out of Deep Run – we’ll have cones marking this section. Please stay to the side and exercise caution.

The 5k course starts in the clearing beside the lake at Deep Run, and has runners and walkers first do a big loop of the lake, then do a loop of half the lake before heading out into the woods. The first part can be a little confusing, but you’ll be fine if you eyeball it beforehand and watch for course marshals to help you. The course map is attached to this email (thanks to Jill Porter). It’s an out-and-back course through the woods, around the perimeter of the soccer fields at the back of the park, behind the new cricket cage, and then back the way you came. Start and finish are in the same spot. Because it’s an out-and-back course, there are times during which runners heading “back” may encounter runners or walkers who are heading “out.” Please be courteous and run safe as you pass other participants.

Also, please be aware that the park is open to the public on the morning of the race, so you may encounter runners, bikers or walkers who are not associated with our event.

Please leave your dog, unless he/she is a service dog, at home for this race. Thank you!

There will be one water stop, about halfway along the course. Thanks to the Botha family for supporting this water stop, and again to Diamond Springs for providing the water!

There will be a time clock at the finish line, and will use an app to help us clock finish times, but there is no chip timing. Feel free to wear a watch and clock yourself if you’d like! The Pellei family will be clocking finishers, with the help of Mrs. Klein. Thank you to these, and to all helpers!

Photos:

Parent and professional photographer Agata Schoenborn will be providing photography during the events. After the race, Agata will send us a link to the photos, and you will have a week to download any of them that you’d like to save. 

Post-race:

Bagels, fruit and water will be available for participants after the 5k. Thank you to Shana Branch, Jill Porter and all other volunteers for helping, to Morrissey’s Catering for donating our fruit and to Diamond Springs for providing our water.

Kids’ stuff:

There will also be face painting (thanks to Theresa, Tracy and Tatiana Headen) and some sports equipment for play in the grass (thanks to Mrs. Robinson). Feel free to bring a jump rope, a hula hoop, a ball, or whatever outdoor fun stuff you’d like!

Sponsors:

The Go Forth 5k and kids’ fun run is a successful fundraiser for Saint Mary’s, thanks to your participation. This year’s proceeds will benefit Saint Mary’s 2021-22 Annual Fund. The Go Forth 5k wouldn’t be nearly so successful without the support of our sponsors. Please take time to tell them how much you appreciate them, and please shop with them when you can.

Tremendous thanks to our Title Sponsors:  Short Pump Orthodontics ,  The Abbate Agency  and  Top Line HR . Dr. Erika Sachno and her staff at Short Pump Orthodontics have sponsored the Go Forth 5k every year. Nick Abbate and his family are school parents and repeat sponsors. Tom Corbitt is managing principal with Top Line HR; the Corbitts, too, are a school family. 

Many thanks to our Gold Sponsors:  Shana Branch, Realtor with Rashkind Saunders & Co . and Drs. Ally and Corby Talton at  Teeth by Talton . 

More thanks to our Silver Sponsors:  RedRidge Pet Market  (the Dan family);   Dyer Immigration Law Group  (the Dyer family);   James River Irrigation  (alumni family);  North American Partners in Anesthesia  (Osborne and Janus families); and  Westwood Pharmacy  (Oley and Dowdy families). 

Thanks to our Bronze Sponsors:   Karen Cole Dameron DDS  (Dameron family);  The Brewer Family ;  Benchmark Mortgage  (D’Antonio family);  Morrissey’s Catering  (Morrissey family);  Fleet Feet Sports of Richmond  (another sponsor who’s been with us every year);  Diamond Springs Water  (who’s provided water for us every year);  Wash Your Way RVA  (the Koehler family);  Elegant Cuizines  (the Headen family);  Cake Charles  (the School family);  NUUN ; and  Swig Life . 

Some of our sponsors will have a presence at the race, so please be sure to visit with them and thank them for supporting Saint Mary’s!

After the events, awards will be given for:

KIDS RUN

K and below: First female finisher & First male finisher

Elementary Division: First female finisher & First male finisher

5k RUN

Elementary Division: First female finisher & First male finisher

Middle School Division: First female finisher & First male finisher

Open Division (high school and above): First female finisher & First male finisher

Stroller Division: Overall finisher

Race-day registration FYI:

Race-day registration will be available, but registrants should be prepared with exact change; cash or checks will be accepted, or participants can Venmo Jennifer Janus, who will reimburse Saint Mary’s. 5k participants are $25 and fun run participants are $15.

Still have questions? Please contact our Race Director, Jennifer Janus.