Annual FishHawk Road Race Offers Way To Start New Year On The Right Foot

By Michelle Colesanti

Have you made a New Year’s resolution to be more active in 2015? Here is your chance to get off to a great start. For the 18th year, the FishHawk Roadrunners will hold its annual Road Race. This year the race will take place on Saturday, January 31 in Central Park, which is located in the new FishHawk Ranch entrance past Mosaic Corporate Center on Circa FishHawk Blvd. The new location and route offer more space with the same scenic nature trails for which FishHawk Ranch is known. Over 800 attendees are expected to participate.

Newland Communities has proudly collaborated with the FishHawk Road Runners on all logistical details, from planning to promotion. For Newland Communities, sustainability means more than green building practices or development.

“The FishHawk Ranch Road Race is an extension of Newland Communities’ commitment to education and families in Hillsborough County. For the past 17 years, this event has served as a prime example of why FishHawk Ranch is a place where education and families thrive,” said Marketing Coordinator for Newland Communities Lynda McMorrow.

Over the years, the Road Race has raised money for local schools. In total, over $300,000 has been raised. Last year alone, over $22,000 was raised with each school receiving $3,600. The FishHawk Road Runners running club also received $1,000 that went toward an annual scholarship.

There will be a chip-timed 5K which starts at 8 a.m. For the kids, there is a choice of a half mile or one mile race beginning at 9 a.m. Awards will be given to overall male and female winners and top three in each age group. There will be medals for all in the Kids’ Race.

The cost to run/walk the 5K is $25 in advance ($30 day of race). For the kids’ race, the cost is $15. To register, visit www.fishhawkrunning.com.  There will be T-shirts for 5K participants in both men’s and women’s sizes.

Packet pick up will be Friday, January 30 from 4-7 p.m. at the Welcome Center, located at 5901 Village Center Dr.

After you’ve run the race or cheered someone on, stay for a great post-race party in Central Park. There will be random give-aways, food and refreshments. Beef ‘O’Brady’s, Outback Steakhouse and Jets Pizza are some of the vendors already participating.  Additional vendors who would like to contribute to the post race party are more than welcome to participate. E-mail lmcmorrow@newland co.com for more information.