“Gotta Catch ‘Em All” Run for Robots 5K at the Morgan County Fair
Call it a frenzy! Call it a fundraiser! Call it family fitness! Call it whatever you want! But be sure to also call it Run for Robots 5K and Pokemon Go! Now, while out on your walk or Run for Robots 5K coming up this Saturday, July 23rd, to launch the Morgan County Fair, be sure to capture a Pokemon, or two! The fun begins at 9:00 a.m. from Berkeley Springs High School.
What?! Just how does the popular Pokemon Go! virtual game collide with a new event this year in Berkeley Springs? Well....I’ll tell you. Community running club at First United Methodist Church, or FUMC Go Run for God, is hosting an event to help Morgan County students raise money for STEM, or science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. For a donation of $10 per person, all ages and abilities are encouraged to join us for a fun filled 5K run/walk through historic Berkeley Springs, from following the path of George Washington to creating a new Pokemon Go team, tie up your running shoes, bring the kids, and prepare to “Catch “Em All!”
Run for Robots 5K at the Morgan County Fair is for both athletes competing for personal times as well as others looking for a leisurely fun walk/run. It is all about family fitness and fun under the watchful eyes of Morgan County safety officials! Official times will not be taken nor awards for age categories. Rather, meet Pastor Doug Hoffman of First United Methodist Church who will present the first six runners with wood “Run for God” medals hand-crafted by students of Berkeley Springs High School wood-shop.
For Pokemon Go enthusiasts, characters are waiting to be captured all along the route! From Oddish, Gloom, Psyduck, Magikarp and more, runners and walkers will not want to miss surprises waiting at George Washington’s Bath, Portals, to Gifts & Souvenirs at Berkeley Springs Memories, and more. Return to visit merchants following the race for wonderful local arts and crafts, visit the Fair, stop by the park later for live entertainment at 5:30, then stay for dinner downtown at one of Berkeley Springs fine restaurants.
Run for Robots is a gentle, flat, 5K which after starting from the high school, will proceed north on Concord where Oddish was spotted, north on 522 passing the Berkeley Springs State Park, crossing Fairfax Street, toward the Star Theater. Turning there, the route then enters the park for refreshing healing water break, passes George’s bath, and circling West Virginia’s smallest State Park for a return south on 522. After passing BSHS, meet more characters along Widmeyer Way’s south playground for a return to the finish line where refreshing water will be provided by Berkeley Springs Water, the original natural spring water!
Proceeds go to benefit the Morgan County Robotics Program, a county wide STEM initiative to help students have classroom robotics opportunities and Relentless Robotics 4H Clubs, an after school program to build and program robotics technology as well as competitive teams with FIRST, For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology.
Registration begins at 8:00 at Berkeley Springs High School. Run for Robots will begin at 9:00 a.m. For early online registration, go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/
The WVU Extension Office in Morgan County has hosted an annual fair and 5K for some time now. It was five years ago when this now 50 year old grey haired PD bloggin hott mama of four decided to sign up the Hott family for their first family 5K. For some reason, I got the crazy idea from Dan's neurologist that exercise is a good thing. Well, until one attempts their first 5K in the mountains of West "by God" Virginia.
With two then little boys in tow, I cheated and finished early; however, my hotthubby Dan finished the race my hero! (It's true! See here: http://excusemecanitellyousomething.blogspot.com/2011/07/hott-family-finishes-5k-and-kicks-pds.html) Believe it or not, this day began a journey that not only includes a few more 5Ks, a couple 10Ks, and yes (I kid you not), two, dare I say TWO half marathons!
Just how crazy is that?!
