Summer Series 5K Kicks Off at West Deptford Park

In the summer, most people just hit the beach, but a certain group is hitting the pavement instead.

Monday was the first 5K run for the West Deptford Park 2011 Summer Series, as 25 people registered to run a road race throughout the park to benefit the West Deptford High School cross country team.

This is the third series that organizer Tom Thomasson has done atWest Deptford Park, but the first that also serves as a fundraiser for the team. Thomasson is the Associate Athletic Director at Rutgers Camden and owns TNT Event Management, a race management service provider, on the side.

After competing against each other in races throughout high school, Thomasson and West Deptford cross country coach Mark Drummond teamed up to create the Summer Series.

“About 15 years ago they had cross country races [in West Deptford Park],” Drummond said. “We wanted to put something together; we’re just trying to give people an option to come out, and the more people running, the better.”

Not only better in terms of proceeds (entry fees are $5 for adults, $3 for anyone under 18), but Drummond also hopes to train his team as well as look out for new young runners to add on. Two of those teammates, Ray Parsons, 15, and Kris Green, 16, had the fastest times for this run.

“Hopefully it’ll train the team harder,” said Parsons, who finished in 18 minutes and 37 seconds to win the race.

Green, who came in a few minutes later, added, “When it’s fun, you do it for yourself to get better for the season.”

Aside from the high schoolers, all age groups were represented–from 8 to 64 years old–and it was a low-key, fun run with free water ice waiting at the end. The runners braved the above-90 degree weather and the race was over within about 30 minutes.

Thomasson explained that they tried to have the start time, which was 7:00 p.m., pushed back so that the sun was a little lower and the race wasn’t occurring in the extreme heat, but he knows that they would run either way–even during a thunderstorm like last year. 

“We’ve established ourselves enough as an event to do well [with attendance], but the weather is always a factor in the summer. Races have been a tradition going on in this park for many years,” Thomasson said. “We’re also trying to bring in different things that you wouldn’t normally see at local 5Ks.”

There will be a 5K every Monday night throughout the rest of the summer, with Thomasson’s variations. For the first run the runners completed a road race, meaning they stay on the road the entire time, but next week they’ll be participating in a cross country run which covers various terrain and goes off the road through the woods and over a series of wooden bridges.

Later in the season, there will be a prediction run, where runners estimate the time it will take them to complete the race and whoever is closest to their time wins, regardless of who finishes first. Lastly, there will be the staggered start where the group is sent out with their slowest runners first so that the entire race will hopefully cross the finish line together.

“It’s a great way to build the running community up,” Thomasson said. “It’s a sport where it means something different to each runner and it’s not too long of a race; you can get off the couch and run a 5K.”

Registration for the race began at 6:15 p.m. and the race started around 7 p.m. They are “no-frills” races, so although there are no medals or t-shirts there is still computerized timing and the results will be posted.

“I’ve done this race before and have known Tom for years,” said runner Pat Lippincott, 64. “I try to contribute money to all these races; it’s not about the competitive spirit, it’s the fun of doing it.”