A need for speed
Matchstick race to include half marathon this year
Approximately 500 people ran in last year’s Matchstick race. Photos by EMILY CANNING-DEAN
WADSWORTH – For the last couple of years, the Matchstick Race has been a popular feature of the Blue Tip Festival.
This year’s competition will take place the evening of Friday, June 23. It will start just outside of the fairgrounds on Grandview Avenue near Memorial Park and finish under the stadium lights on the 50-yard line of the football field at Art Wright Stadium.
As always, there will be both a 5K and 10K component to the race, but this year will also include a half marathon option.
“I think we have more people signed up for the half marathon than anything else and we haven’t even hit that big push of signups yet,” Mike Leavitt, chairman of the Blue Tip Committee said, in late May. “During the last couple of weeks leading up to the race, it really snowballs.”
Half marathon runners will begin at 6:15 p.m. and the 5K and 10K races will start at 7:30 p.m.
Runners are encouraged to park at Crossroads Community Church the evening of the race, as there won’t be adequate parking at the park with the festival going on. Buses will shuttle the runners to the stadium before the race and back to their vehicles once the race is over. Runners will be able to redeem a free ride ticket for the festival.
“This year, new youth brackets will be added, due to the tremendous turnout of young ones last year,” said race organizer Abby Morris. “All youth runners, 14 and under, will receive finisher medals for their event.”
Also, all top finishers in each age bracket will receive medals for each event. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three overall male and female finishers. Runners will also receive complimentary food and beverages after the race.
Additional information, including course maps and race registration, can be found at www.matchstickrace.com.
Participants can pick up their runner packets and race shirt the day of the race, but they are encouraged to do so the evening before the race at Crossroads Community Church on High Street in the downtown area at 7 p.m. By picking up the packets ahead of time, it gives runners plenty of time to prepare for the race and cuts down on congestion at the race site.
Medical stations will be on hand provided by Crystal Clinic. All proceeds from the race will go back to the community, as the Blue Tip Committee donates the money to local causes each year.
For the safety of the runners, roads throughout the community will be closed at certain times during the race.
Half marathon road closings
• Grandview southbound between the stadium and Rainbow Street from 6 to 8 p.m.
• State Route 94 southbound at Pine Street from 6:15 to 7:45 p.m.
• Pine Street eastbound from Route 94 to South Lyman from 6:18 p.m. to 7:45 p.m.
• South Lyman Street northbound between Pine Street and Park Court from 6:18 p.m. to 7:44 p.m.
• Park Court eastbound from South Lyman Street to East Avenue from 6:19 p.m. to 7:40 p.m.
• East Avenue northbound between Park Court and South Boulevard from 6:20 to 7:38 p.m.
• South Boulevard southbound between East Street and Ohio Avenue from 6:20 to 7:37 p.m.
• Ohio Avenue southbound between South Boulevard and Park Street from 6:20 to 7:35 p.m.
• Park Street westbound between Ohio Avenue and Fairview Avenue from 6:23 to 7:33 p.m.
• Fairview Avenue southbound between Park Street and Chestnut between 6:23 and 7:33 p.m.
• Chestnut Street from Fairview to First Street from 6:20 to 7:33 p.m.
• First Street southbound between Chestnut and Water Street from 6:24 to 7:25 p.m.
• South Ardale southbound between First and Durling from 6:25 to 7:25 p.m.
• Durling Drive southbound between Ardale and the railroad tracks from 6:27 to 7:18 p.m.
• Royal Woods Drive eastbound between Silvercrest and Woodcrest from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m.
• Woodcrest Drive northbound between Royal Woods and Ashbrook from 6:32 to 7:12 p.m.
• Ashbrook Drive eastbound between Woodcrest and Treeview from 6:32 to 7:12 p.m.
• Treeview Drive northbound between Ashbrook and Hillcrest from 6:33 to 7:07 p.m.
• Hillcrest Drive eastbound between Treeview and Wintergreen between 6:34 and 7:05 p.m.
• Oakcrest Drive westbound between Woodcrest and Royal Woods from 6:40 to 7:15 p.m.
5 and 10K race`s road closings
• All of Grandview between Rainbow and College from 6:50 to 9:15 p.m.
• West Street between College and Baldwin from 6:55 to 9 p.m. and from Baldwin and Franks between 6:55 and 8 p.m.
• Franks eastbound between West Street and Route 94 from 7 to 8:10 p.m.
• State Route 94 southbound between Franks and Baldwin from 7 to 9:10 p.m.
• Baldwin westbound between Route 94 and West Street from 7:05 to 9:10 p.m.
• Sunset westbound between West and Waverly from 7:10 to 8:20 p.m.
• Waverly and Wolf northbound between Sunset and West from 7:10 to 8:45 p.m.
• West Street northbound between Wolf and West Good from 7:15 to 8:50 p.m.
• West Good eastbound from West Street to Orchard from 7:15 to 9 p.m.
• Orchard southbound between West Good and Wolf from 7:15 to 9 p.m.
• Wolf eastbound between Orchard and Route 94 from 7:15 to 9 p.m. and Route 94 southbound between Wolf and Franks from 7:20 to 9:05 p.m.
This year’s competition will take place the evening of Friday, June 23. It will start just outside of the fairgrounds on Grandview Avenue near Memorial Park and finish under the stadium lights on the 50-yard line of the football field at Art Wright Stadium.
As always, there will be both a 5K and 10K component to the race, but this year will also include a half marathon option.
“I think we have more people signed up for the half marathon than anything else and we haven’t even hit that big push of signups yet,” Mike Leavitt, chairman of the Blue Tip Committee said, in late May. “During the last couple of weeks leading up to the race, it really snowballs.”
Half marathon runners will begin at 6:15 p.m. and the 5K and 10K races will start at 7:30 p.m.
Runners are encouraged to park at Crossroads Community Church the evening of the race, as there won’t be adequate parking at the park with the festival going on. Buses will shuttle the runners to the stadium before the race and back to their vehicles once the race is over. Runners will be able to redeem a free ride ticket for the festival.
“This year, new youth brackets will be added, due to the tremendous turnout of young ones last year,” said race organizer Abby Morris. “All youth runners, 14 and under, will receive finisher medals for their event.”
Also, all top finishers in each age bracket will receive medals for each event. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three overall male and female finishers. Runners will also receive complimentary food and beverages after the race.
Additional information, including course maps and race registration, can be found at www.matchstickrace.com.
Participants can pick up their runner packets and race shirt the day of the race, but they are encouraged to do so the evening before the race at Crossroads Community Church on High Street in the downtown area at 7 p.m. By picking up the packets ahead of time, it gives runners plenty of time to prepare for the race and cuts down on congestion at the race site.
Medical stations will be on hand provided by Crystal Clinic. All proceeds from the race will go back to the community, as the Blue Tip Committee donates the money to local causes each year.
For the safety of the runners, roads throughout the community will be closed at certain times during the race.
Half marathon road closings
• Grandview southbound between the stadium and Rainbow Street from 6 to 8 p.m.
• State Route 94 southbound at Pine Street from 6:15 to 7:45 p.m.
• Pine Street eastbound from Route 94 to South Lyman from 6:18 p.m. to 7:45 p.m.
• South Lyman Street northbound between Pine Street and Park Court from 6:18 p.m. to 7:44 p.m.
• Park Court eastbound from South Lyman Street to East Avenue from 6:19 p.m. to 7:40 p.m.
• East Avenue northbound between Park Court and South Boulevard from 6:20 to 7:38 p.m.
• South Boulevard southbound between East Street and Ohio Avenue from 6:20 to 7:37 p.m.
• Ohio Avenue southbound between South Boulevard and Park Street from 6:20 to 7:35 p.m.
• Park Street westbound between Ohio Avenue and Fairview Avenue from 6:23 to 7:33 p.m.
• Fairview Avenue southbound between Park Street and Chestnut between 6:23 and 7:33 p.m.
• Chestnut Street from Fairview to First Street from 6:20 to 7:33 p.m.
• First Street southbound between Chestnut and Water Street from 6:24 to 7:25 p.m.
• South Ardale southbound between First and Durling from 6:25 to 7:25 p.m.
• Durling Drive southbound between Ardale and the railroad tracks from 6:27 to 7:18 p.m.
• Royal Woods Drive eastbound between Silvercrest and Woodcrest from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m.
• Woodcrest Drive northbound between Royal Woods and Ashbrook from 6:32 to 7:12 p.m.
• Ashbrook Drive eastbound between Woodcrest and Treeview from 6:32 to 7:12 p.m.
• Treeview Drive northbound between Ashbrook and Hillcrest from 6:33 to 7:07 p.m.
• Hillcrest Drive eastbound between Treeview and Wintergreen between 6:34 and 7:05 p.m.
• Oakcrest Drive westbound between Woodcrest and Royal Woods from 6:40 to 7:15 p.m.
5 and 10K race`s road closings
• All of Grandview between Rainbow and College from 6:50 to 9:15 p.m.
• West Street between College and Baldwin from 6:55 to 9 p.m. and from Baldwin and Franks between 6:55 and 8 p.m.
• Franks eastbound between West Street and Route 94 from 7 to 8:10 p.m.
• State Route 94 southbound between Franks and Baldwin from 7 to 9:10 p.m.
• Baldwin westbound between Route 94 and West Street from 7:05 to 9:10 p.m.
• Sunset westbound between West and Waverly from 7:10 to 8:20 p.m.
• Waverly and Wolf northbound between Sunset and West from 7:10 to 8:45 p.m.
• West Street northbound between Wolf and West Good from 7:15 to 8:50 p.m.
• West Good eastbound from West Street to Orchard from 7:15 to 9 p.m.
• Orchard southbound between West Good and Wolf from 7:15 to 9 p.m.
• Wolf eastbound between Orchard and Route 94 from 7:15 to 9 p.m. and Route 94 southbound between Wolf and Franks from 7:20 to 9:05 p.m.