New 5K Race Added to the Upcoming Spring Training Classic in Jupiter Opens Event to More Abilities and Ages

Online registration still open for 5K and 10K races on March 18 at www.springtrainingclassic.com; volunteers also needed on the course

JUPITER, Fla. (March 7, 2012) – Organizers of this year’s Spring Training Classic 5K and 10K at Roger Dean Stadium said today that the new 5K race will enable more runners and walkers to participate in the event, slated for next weekend on Sunday, March 18.

Online registration is still open for both races at www.springtrainingclassic.com.

Both the 5K and the 10K start at 7:30 a.m. outside the stadium and wind through the streets of Abacoa before taking runners on a victory lap around the outfield and ending at home plate. Course maps and a street-by-street description of both routes can be found at www.springtrainingclassic.com/race-courses.

In addition to a new 5K event, runners this year also are encouraged to participate in the new South Florida Runner’s Challenge. Finishers of the nearby Shamrock 5K in Lake Worth on March 17 and the Spring Training Classic’s 10K event the next day will earn a special finisher’s medal. Runners can register for the challenge at web sites for either the Spring Training Classic or Shamrock 5K.

Organizers of the Spring Training Classic also are seeking more race-day volunteers, especially course monitors who help direct traffic on the course. To sign up to volunteer, go to www.springtrainingclassic.com/volunteer.

“We’re excited about adding the 5K to the Spring Training Classic this year, but that also means we need more volunteers,” said Race Director Dave McGillivray, whose firm DMSE Sports also directs the B.A.A. Boston Marathon and 30 other major races throughout the U.S

The new 5K course begins on Main Street across from the stadium and goes down Bermuda and Greenway before returning, while the 10K course shares the same start but takes runners through seven Abacoa neighborhoods before returning for the fun, home-plate finish.

Runners who register for the Spring Training Classic online can also purchase a $15 ticket to the ballgame on race day, while supplies last. The race entry fee is $30 in advance online and $35 at the Expo on Saturday and Sunday. Race organizers are including the special game-day package to support runners who want to stay for the game.

The Kids ‘n Cops Run on Saturday, March 17, will feature a Marlins player and a health and fitness expo. More information on the kid’s race, picking up runner packets and last minute registration is also available on the race website at www.springtrainingclassic.com.

“Adding a 5K to the Spring Training Classic opens up the race to more runners – and walkers – which we always encourage as it’s all for a good cause,” McGillivray added.

Proceeds from the race will benefit the Marlins Community Foundation that offers grants to local charities and rewards gifts on a quarterly basis that fit within the Cornerstones for Kids Programs, which builds a “brighter future through education, the arts and baseball.” The lead sponsor of the Spring Training Classic is the Miami Marlins.

DMSE is also involved in managing a special run by Marlins president David Samson, who will run 50 miles – from Pompano Beach to the new Marlins Park – to raise money for charity before Miami's April 27 game in the new stadium against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The run was featured recently on MLB.com.

Founded by McGillivray in 1981, DMSE, Inc. is a leader in sports event management, specializing in creating, marketing and producing mass participatory athletic events throughout the U.S. and abroad. McGillivray has produced or consulted on more than 900 mass-participatory athletic events, including the Boston Marathon, the TD Beach to Beacon10K in Maine, Run for the Dream in Williamsburg, Va., the Women’s Half Marathon series in St. Petersburg, Fla. and recently was named race director of the famed New Balance Falmouth Road Race in Cape Cod. For more info, visit www.dmsesports.com.

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2011 event photos courtesy of Action Sports International

Here is more information about DMSE Sports