ATHOL – This year will mark the 10th running of the Big Cheese 5K, a race that now leads the parade kicking off the annual River Rat Race celebration.
For the first five years, the race was run as an independent endeavor to raise funds for local non-profits. Since 2015 it has been organized in conjunction with the Athol Area YMCA. Organizers include Heather Butler, Jeanette Robichaud, and Y Associate Executive Director Matt Talbot.
“It’s an awesome race,” said Talbot. “It kicks off the start of the parade. People are lined up along the street to see the parade, and when the runners pass by, they hear a lot of cheering; people shouting encouragement, cheering them on. It’s great.”
“The race benefits non-profits in the North Quabbin,” he added. “A large portion of the funds we raise go to the Food-A-Thon and Meals on Wheels. They also help provide financial assistance to families who qualify for breaks on their Y membership or program fees. But the largest part goes to the Food-A-Thon.”
Talbot said last year’s race raised in the vicinity of $6,000.
“In the 10 years the race has been run, it’s raised more than $45,000,” said Talbot.
Talbot also said the race and its course were certified by the U.S.A. Track and Field four years ago. Certification means the course has been accurately measured, according to USATF.
The organization’s website states, “The certification program is very important to the average road racer, as well as those of exceptional speed. Most runners like to compare performances run on different courses, and such comparisons are difficult if course distances are not reliable. No one can truly establish a personal best if the course distance is not accurate.”
“I don’t know that having the certification really makes a lot of difference in who runs,” said Talbot. “I think the big motivation is simply that it’s a lot of local people trying to raise money for a good cause.”
Last year’s overall winners for the men and women were 16-year-old Jack Bassett, running the men 15-19 division, and 38-year-old Julie Dragon, who competed in the women 30-39 division.
The cost to register is $25 for adults, and $20 for youths 16 and under. Registration may be made online through the end of the day Wednesday, April 10 by going to bigcheese5k.com. Registration will also be accepted the morning of the race. The registration table will be open at 8 a.m. near Town Hall.
“It takes a little under 20 minutes for the top runners to finish,” said Talbot. “But people are free to walk or run. We have families that walk the course just about every year.”
“We also encourage people to wear costumes,” he added. “We have prizes for the best costumes in both the adult and youth divisions. People have a lot of fun with it.”
The race begins at the corner of Prospect and School streets, following a circuitous route through downtown Athol, around a portion of Silver Lake, to Orange and Crescent streets, then back to Town Hall. Winners in each division will receive a prize of cheese from Smith’s Country Cheese in Winchendon. The overall winners get trophies in the shape of a wedge of cheese.
“It’s a fun event, but more importantly it ends up helping a lot of local people,” Talbot concluded.