The fourth annual Fire House 5K will kick off Saturday, and there’s still time to register, as Covington fire officials hope the turnout will continue to grow to more than 400 runners this year.
The event begins with a 1-mile fun run at 8:30 a.m., followed by the 5K race at 9 a.m. Both will start in front of the Conyers Street Gym, 1146 Conyers St., Covington.
The course is the same as the Covington Police Department’s Fuzz Run, but it’s run in the reverse direction; the finish line is just east of the starting line, close to the intersection of Conyers and Davis streets, according to Shane Strickland, a fire apparatus operator for the city.
Registration costs $25, with a discounted $60 rate for a family of four. Checks should be made payable to the Covington Fireman’s Memorial Trust and can be dropped off at the Covington Fire Department headquarters, 2101 Pace St.. Participants also can also pay online at active.com and runningintheusa.com.
Registration is available on race day; however, the later a person registers, the less chance he or she will have of receiving a Fire House 5K T-shirt, Strickland said.
About 350 runners participated last year, and 180 runners had registered as of earlier last week, he said.
The Fireman’s Memorial Trust Fund is used to provide scholarships to graduating high school seniors who are headed to college. First priority is given to graduates of fire department families, Strickland said.
All finishers will get a medal, a token the fire department likes to give out so people have something to show for their participation, Strickland said.
“We want to tell them we appreciate them coming out,” he said.
A custom pottery award will be given to the top male and female finishers, the top male and female masters finishers, and the top three male and female winners in each age category.
A special, undisclosed award will be given to the top male and female finishers in the public safety category.
Strickland said the Fire House 5K was started in 2010 because the department saw an opportunity to raise money for a good cause and get support from the community through a 5K race, an activity that is becoming ever more popular.
For more information about the race, call the fire department at 770-385-2100 and ask for Strickland or Assistant Fire Marshall Capt. Tony Smith, or email Smith at dtsmith@cityofcovington.org.
