A local running club will carry on the tradition of the Firecracker 5k on July 4, but with precautions due to COVID-19.
In 1999, the Columbus Running Club held the Firecracker 5k, its first club-sponsored event since incorporating the year before. For 21 years and counting, the annual race has never been canceled, according to club treasurer and former president Randy Stafford.
And 2020 is no exception — in spite of everything, the race is still on.
There are, however, notable changes to the event this year.
For one thing, only 200 people maximum will be allowed to participate, Stafford said.
“We typically have had anywhere from 100 to 300 people,” he said. “We thought that if we put a 200 limit on it, we can, you know, safely spread people out and still give the local community of people a chance to have a competition.”
Also, there will be no race-day registration this year. All participants must pre-register online. Running club member and race organizer Jeff Niewedde said that online registration will close either when the maximum is met or sometime on July 3 in the afternoon. Registration opened on June 18 and Niewedde said that, as of June 24, about half of the spots had been filled.
“If you’re thinking about it today, sign up today, because tomorrow it might not be available,” he said.
Registration costs $25 per participant, or $20 if said participant is a member of the Columbus Running Club. According to Stafford, proceeds go toward two $1,000 one-time college scholarships for high school track or cross-country athletes.
Niewedde also said that while the Firecracker 5K Run and Walk is usually held on the last weekend of June, this year’s race is set for the Fourth of July. He said that rescheduling was due to the fact that Indiana is scheduled to enter the final reopening stage on that date.
Stafford said that even after Indiana enters that final stage, the running club will still follow reopening guidelines from USA Track & Field, such as the organization’s requirements for low-risk events.
One of this requirements is staggering the start. While the 5K is set to begin at 8 a.m., not every runner (or walker) will take off at the same time. Niewedde said that participants will enter the race in “10 person waves, one minute apart.”
“It’s actually better if we kind of spread it out and not have all the fast people in one, because then they’re going to all be right next to each other,” he said.
Participants will be asked to stay 6 feet apart at the beginning and end of the race.
This year, the race begins outside of LHP Engineering Solutions headquarters on 1888 Poshard Drive and finishes at the same location.
Stafford said that there will not be a water stop on the course, as there has been in years past. However, there will be portable bathrooms and hand sanitizing stations at the start and finish of the race.
While masks are optional, Niewedde noted that both runners and volunteers are required to follow health guidelines regarding COVID-19. According to the 5K’s participant waiver, these guidelines include self-monitoring for symptoms, confirming no close contact with anyone sick within 14 days of the event, not traveling to countries with ongoing outbreaks within 14 days of the 5K, not traveling by cruise ship or river boat in the past 14 days and not attending if one’s temperature is greater than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit.
“We’re trying to do this as faithfully as possible and not become a spreader site,” Stafford said.
Niewedde said that the race will go on “rain or shine” and expects a good turnout.
“I’m predicting, hopefully, we reach that 200 mark, just because I know a lot of people are ready to get out and run in a race,” he said. “Or they’ve been training on their own and ready to come out and compete again.” He also said that all finishers receive medals, regardless of time.
Stafford noted that high school athletes, especially, have likely not raced since early or late March.
“We really felt that there’s a lot of people that want to do a race,” he said. “And by changing the date, it allowed us to get into a spot where we could, you know, serve that need.”
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Online registration for the run is available at https://www.signmeup.com/reg/form/134912/registration.
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