Are You Running: Avondale 5K set for Oct. 13

The Third Annual Avondale 5K Run is just a couple of weeks away, and this year organizers are hoping to make things a little more personal.

The race has always raised funds for the Charles Webb Center, which serves children with disabilities or special needs. Race founder Skipper Condon created the race to honor his late brother Steve who attended the Webb Center as a child. This year runners can form teams and choose to sponsor one of the children currently using the services at the Webb Center.

Profiles of the children are posted on the race website, along with a downloadable registration form.

"We're trying to change it up and make it a little more personal this year," Geoff Richardson said. "We're hoping that if you pick one of these kids, you'll be more invested in raising money for the Charles Webb Center."

The owner of Lava Salon, Richardson is involved in many Avondale community efforts and helped Condon organize and promote the race. He got some of the artists involved in the chART Initiative he launched last year to help stencil this year's theme, "R U Running?" on one of the walls in the Alycia Alley mural gallery.

The team that raises the most money for its sponsored child will get a private party at Triangle Char & Bar for as many as 25 guests, so the theme "R U Running?" is meant to encourage racers to ask as many people as possible to join the race. Teams have to reach a minimum of $1,000 to win the party.

Organizers are also providing some fundraising ideas for teams on the race website. One suggestion: make a lot of pasta, invite a lot of people over, charge some amount per plate and expalin it's to raise money for the Charles Webb Center to support the work it does with disabled and special needs children.

"Last year we had about 250 runners, I'm hoping for 350 this year," Skipper Condon said.

He added that last year's race raised approxmately $25,000. He'd like to hit $30,000 this year though.

Individual runners can still participate and register to run or walk for $30 ($35 if you wait until the day of the race). The registration packet includes a race T-shirt and tickets to the race after-party with food and drinks provided by Triangle.

The race begins at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 13, at the intersection of Magnolia Road and Tall Oak Avenue. The course heads down Magnolia Road, loops through part of East Oak Forrest, back up Magnolia Road, and around Ashley Forrest to the finish line on Tall Oak Avenue. Runners and walkers can pick up their race event packets at Triangle from 4 - 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 12.

Chip timing will be used to log race times on the USA Track & Field certified course.

The Avondale 5K is open to all ages, and strollers are welcome. The race is even open to dogs, in fact there are even prizes for the first two canines to cross the finish line.