Record number of runners expected for Kewash half marathon, 10K, 5K Saturday

Participation records are expected to be broken in Saturday’s Kewash Trail half marahon, 10K, 5K in Washington.

“Our Kewash event is already breaking numbers records,” Teri Hartzler, branch manager of the Washington YMCA, said. “We’re pushing 600 participants from at least 15 different states.

“We’ve got runners coming from across the country.”

She added that about half of the registered participants will be running in the half marathon.

All runners will start at the same time, 8 a.m., Saturday, from the starting line on West Main Street near the Washington County Courthouse.

Routes are as follows:

• Half marathon - Runners will loop around the downtown area then head toward Sunset Park, about 1.5 miles before hitting the paved part of the Kewash Nature Trail. A mile after that, the trails turn to crushed limestone.

Runners will go approximately another 4.5 miles, heading northwest of downtown past Kiwi and Juniper avenues to the turnaround.

• 10K - Runners will loop around the downtown area then head toward Sunset Park, about 1.5 miles before reaching the paved portion of the Kewash Nature Trail. A mile after that, the trail turns to crushed limestone.

Runners will go about another mile or mile and a half west, crossing Highway 92 to the turnaround.

• 5K - Runners will loop around the downtown area then head Sunset Park, about 1.5 miles before getting on the paved portion of the Kewash Nature Trail. They will run approximately another half mile, where they will turn onto a gravel road for about a quarter mile and get back onto the paved trail and head back through the park and downtown to the finish.

There will be water and Gatorade stations for the runners along each of the routes.

Hartzler said that the Washington Police Department and Washington County Sheriff’s Office will assist with road closures.

The half marathon is now a U.S. Track and Field (USATF) certified course.

“The course is certified for accuracy,” Hartzler said. “It helps people trying to qualify for other races like the Boston Marathon or the New York City Marathon.”

Washington State Bank is offering $1,000 to any man or woman who breaks the course’s male or female record.

Washington State Bank and Washington County Hospital and Clinics are the title sponsors of this year’s event.

Last year, the event was moved to the fall because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We had it live and virtual,” Hartzler said. “Having the virtual option really helped us with our numbers.”

This year’s event will be all live.

“With the numbers we have coming for the race, it speaks volumes about how people are ready to get out,” Hartzler said.