ABOUT THE GREATER HAZLETON AREA FESTIVAL OF RACES...
As race directors of the Greater Hazleton Area who live and run in our community, we believe our road races offer runners many great experiences. In an effort to generate more enthusiasm for our local races and get more youth involved in fitness and outdoor recreation, we have united our race events to promote the inaugural 2009 Greater Hazleton Area Festival Of Races and invite all who are willing to run an opportunity to celebrate this six month event with us.

Our race series will cover the scenic Conyngham Valley and Nescopeck Trails, wind through our historic city streets and neighborhoods as runners will enjoy both flat and rolling courses. The races will offer a variety of out and backs, some with trails and others which are loops.

Each race offers a unique course and different race experience from helping feed the hungry, empowering individuals to seek success on their own, promoting drug and alcohol abuse awareness to simply eating a canoli at a famous Italian Festival. You will aid the local YMCA/YWCA programs for our area youth and draw awareness to a unique fitness center that takes a stance on Health and Wellness.

The 2009 Greater Hazleton Area Festival Of Races will kick-off with The Valley Great 8 and 4 Miler races on May 23rd 2009 and extend through the Fall race season ending with The Health & Wellness Center 5K on October 17th.

There will be trophies and notoriety for champions and a chance for a grand prize for eligible runners!

Simply, if you enter and finish four of our ten race events you are eligible for our grand prize drawing, a 32" flat screen HD TV.

If you want to compete for a trophy in "The Championship Race Series" you will need to run specified races beginning with the Valley Great 8(Age 19 +) or Valley 4Miler(Age 18 and under) May 23rd.

For more details see www.palermochiro.com

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The 2009 Greater Hazleton Area Festival Of Races Details:

Grand Prize Drawing

All eligible runners will have a chance to win a 32" RCA Flat Screen television.

Drawing Eligibility Rules:

Open for runners of all ages, must finish a minimum of any four races in the race series which includes the following races, please note that while some races are same day and there are 10 different races you can not run more than one race on the same day. Running more than four races does not increase chance of winning the drawing.

The Valley Great 8(May23rd)
Valley 4 miler(May 23rd)
URS 5K(June 21st)
Run for the Canoli(August 16)
Nescopeck Trail 5K(August22nd)
Nescopeck Trail 10K(August 22nd)
YMCA Run for the Gold(September 12th)
Serento Gardens Seasons Change 5K(October 10th)
Serento Gardens Seasons Change 10K(October 10th)
The Health & Wellness Center 5K(October 17th)

Race Directors are not eligible for the drawing

Drawing will be held at the Valley Running Club end of year party in October, you do not have to be present to win.

The Championship Race Series Details

Trophies awarded in four divisions:

Overall Male and Female, 2nd and 3rd
Greater Hazleton Area Male and Female(defined by Hazleton Area School District) 2nd and 3rd
Masters Male and Female, 2nd and 3rd
SchoolBoy/SchoolGirl Male and Female, 2nd and 3rd
*no duplication of trophies

Participation

There is no extra entry fee to participate, you need only to pay your race entry fees as you would normally

Championship Series Rules:

Participants:

School age(18 and under) must run The Valley 4Miler and three(3) of the six(6)5K races to be eligible for the Championship Series:

Race Schedule

Valley 4 miler(May 23rd)
URS 5K(June 21st)
Run for the Canoli5K(August 16)
Nescopeck Trail 5K(August22nd)
YMCA Run for the Gold 5K(September 12th)
Serento Gardens Seasons Change 5K(October 10th)
The Health & Wellness Center 5K(October 17th)

Runners Age 19 and over, must run the following five races(5) to be eligible for the Championship Series:

1 - The Valley Great 8
1 - One 10K Race Distance
3 - Three 5k Race Distances
Scoring

Based on the following races:

18 and under:

1 - Valley 4miler
3 - 5K races, any three you choose
Note: Dropping a low race score does not apply to 18 and under

19 and over:

1 - 8miler
3 - 5K races or best three 5K race scores if you run more than 3 5k races
1 - 10k race or best 10K score if you run more than one 10k race

Scoring will be based on a point system

We will have a commemorative gift for all "Championship Series Participants only" at our season-end Valley Running Club Party in October at which time we will also hold our grand prize drawing.

Remember the TV drawing is based on running any four race events, so you can choose to not compete for a trophy and still be eligible for the drawing as long as you run and complete four events.

Hope to see you in our hometown,

Race Directors of The Greater Hazleton Festival of Races

Mike Palermo
Cathy Gallagher
Frank Gaval
Dino Oberto
Amy Cartwright
Jennifer Sloot
Corrine Stone