This year’s Yuengling Light Lager Jogger 5K in Pottsville will be the biggest to date, Carrie L. Snyder, operations director at CK Running LLC, Philadelphia, the race promoter, said Monday.
“Last year, 3,127 runners entered the race. Since there’s been so much interest, and seeing how things were run last year, we decided we’re able to open it up to 3,500 runners. And when registrations went on sale October 1, they sold out before the end of the month,” Kathryn Ross, marketing and partner relations director at CK Running LLC, said.
“But this is the absolute max. We have no plans to ever increase it beyond 3,500. This is the max capacity,” Snyder said.
Registration was $40, the same price as it was last year, Ross said.
The fourth Yuengling Light Lager Jogger 5K will be held 9 a.m. April 9. The 3.1-mile race will start at Seventh and Mahantongo streets, head west, turn on 19th Street, go up West Norwegian to 22nd Street, turn east on Mahantongo to 20th Street, down Howard Avenue, then to the finish line where the race started.
“This year, the runners are coming from 33 states, the District of Columbia and I see there are also some international runners. There’s one from Canada and one from Jamaica,” Ross said.
Traditionally, more than 5,000 people come to the city for the event. Pottsville Mayor James T. Muldowney said it’s one of the biggest annual events in Pottsville, and it’s an important opportunity for local businesses.
“I hope the merchants take the opportunity to try to connect with all these people coming into town, have some specials and what-not. Unfortunately, a lot of people who come in for the race as fast as they come in they exit,” Muldowney said Monday.
“We’ve been trying to encourage our members to get involved with it,” Carmen A. DiCello, vice president of the Pottsville Business Association, said Monday.
One new store the crowds will see is the Yuengling & Son Inc. gift shop at the former Yuengling ice cream factory, 420 Mahantongo St. It opened Feb. 29.
Initially, its hours were 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. It will start opening Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on April 2. On the day of the Lager Jogger, it will be open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Jenn Kruss, the gift shop manager, said Monday.
“This year, with the creamery being open, that’s going to be a big plus,” Muldowney said.
“And we’ll have around 30 vendors near the starting line, pretty much the same as last year,” Ross said.
“Most of them are Schuylkill County vendors. We have a couple new ones coming out,” Snyder said.
Runners can pick up their race packets at the Ramada Inn, 101 S. Progress Ave., from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. April 7 and from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. April 8.
“We don’t want all 3,500 runners to have to pick up their packets on race day. So we’ll be on the first floor conference room at the Ramada on Thursday and Friday,” Ross said.
The winners of the race will receive medals and prizes from sponsors.
“The top three overall males and females will each receive a custom Yuengling Light Lager Jogger 5K growler. The top overall male will also receive a new Lenovo T450s laptop donated by LYNX Computer Technologies Inc. The top overall female will also receive a custom Yuengling Light Lager Jogger necklace donated by Murphy’s Jewelers, Pottsville, Ross said.
“We will also have age group awards for the top three in each group. The age groups are under 10, 10 to 19, 20 to 29, 30 to 39, 40 to 49, 50 to 59, 60 to 69, 70 to 79 and 80 and over. The top age group winner receives a custom Yuengling Light Lager Jogger 5K glass pitcher, second and third place receive a medal,” Ross said.
On March 23, Muldowney sent letters to neighboring municipalities asking for assistance with traffic control.
“Please contact Mr. Gary Zalusky at 570-205-9027 or garypfp@verizon.net to let him know if you have any fire police available for this event,” the mayor said in the letter.