Iron Rail Days 5K entry fees slashed up to 54 percent

Iron Rail Days 5K entry fees slashed up to 54 percent
Historic town to host Sept. 18 5K run, 1.5-mile run/walk

Entry Form

MOUNT SAVAGE, Sept. 10 -- Entry fees for the second Iron Rail Days 5K run and 1.5-mile run/walk scheduled for Sept. 18 in historic Mount Savage have been slashed between 44 and 54 percent.

The event is coordinated by the Mountain Maryland Marathon Club. Club officials said the new, lower entry fee structure is more in line with the organization's goal of providing fun, low-key and affordable competitive running events in the tri-state area. Nearly 50 kids and adults participated in last year's event.

Proceeds from the event still will benefit the Mount Savage Historical Society. Runners ages 13 and older can enter for as little as $8. The entry fee for children 12-and-under is only $5 up to and including race day.

"To cut costs for runners, we eliminated an event T-shirt," marathon club officials said. "This seems likely to allow even more people to participate and stick around for the annual Iron Rail Days celebration. The shirt just adds so much to the process and most folks already have enough of them anyway."

The all-pavement 5K course is a challenging 3.1-mile adventure over hilly roads of the small town of Mount Savage. Race-day registration begins at 7:15 a.m. by the Union Mining Company building on Foundry Row. Both distances will start promptly at 8 a.m.

The final half mile takes runners through Old Pioneer Park on Old Row, past the current museum and former home of Mount Savage "Strongboy" and Pittsburgh Pirates player Bob Robertson. Runners and walkers alike finish in a grassy field at the foot of an old iron furnace near the post office.

Last year's 5K was won by Frostburg resident Dan DeWitt in 18 minutes and 16.9 seconds. Paula Bridges, of Cumberland, won the women's title in 24:52.3. Masters titles were earned by Tom Ruckert, of Grantsville, and Barb Surgent, of Frostburg.

Mount Savage is located about 10 miles northwest of Cumberland, about 5 miles northeast of Frostburg, about 38 miles southwest of Bedford, Pa., and about 25 miles north of Keyser, W.Va.

For an entry form or for more information, go online to www.marathonclub.org or call 301-697-6035 or send an e-mail to run@marathonclub.org.

For more information on the Iron Rail Days Festival celebration, visit www.mountsavagehistoricalsociety.org.