The Rotary Club of Highlands is hosting a Twilight 5K Race beginning at 6 p.m. this Saturday, Aug. 14 at Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park.
The 5K course is undulating, beginners or walkers will find it friendly, yet the faster runners will be challenged. 10K course is challenging and climbs Bear Pen Mountain.
Registration and check-in will begin at 4 p.m. Early packet pickup on Friday the night before the race from 4-6 p.m. at the Highlands Recreation Park. Please allow enough time to get checked in.
Parking will be available around the Kelsey Hutchinson Park, Highlands Recreation Park, Highlands Ballfield, and Highlands Post Office. Bring chairs, coolers, refreshments, blankets to join us for the evening music, starting around 7:30 p.m.
Glow necklaces for the kids. Rarely above 80 degrees in summer. Always cool in the evening. Get out of the heat! This is your opportunity to come to “cool” Highlands and run on the plateau.
Kids under 5 years old run 5K for free. Kids 5 to 9 years old costs $10 for the 5K race. Must be 15 years of age or over to run 10K, parts of the course will be unmonitored and open to car traffic.
Day of race price will be $40 for 5K and $50 for 10K, so sign up early.
The Course
The 5K course starts at Kelsey Hutchinson Founders Park and is the flattest 5K course on the plateau in Highlands. It is an undulating course and has one short steeper uphill section (5O yards).
It will allow walkers of all ages to be able to complete the 5K course with ease and also allow the ability to push strollers, but be challenging for faster runners. Runners will run past beautiful Harris Lake at Highlands Park and the finish will double back on part of the course to finish at the Kelsey Hutchinson Founders Park.
The 10K course will be partly run on the 5K course and then will take a detour through Gibson street, up Big Bear Pen Mountain and then back down to the starting area at Kelsey Hutchinson Park.! The 10K is the most challenging 10K on the plateau.
Runners must be a minimum of 15 years or age, to compete in the 10K. A beer from the Ugly Dog Pub, Highlands NC’s favorite bar, will be served to everyone of legal age finishing the race.
$100 award for a new overall course record, $50 award for any other age group record.
Fun for the whole family, stroller’s welcome, walkers welcome, yet will be challenging for experienced runners.
T-shirt guaranteed if registered by July 15, 2020. we will order extra shirts after that date, which will be first come first serve.
- Light up necklaces for the kids.
- Everyone of legal age crossing the finish line gets a beer from Ugly Dog Pub, Highlands NC’s favorite bar.
- Rock n’ Roll concert by Tea 4 Three during and after the race, 6-10 p.m.
- Awards presented to overall top male and female, top Masters, Grand Masters, Senior Grand Masters and top 3 finishers in each 5-year age division.
- Kids under 5 free for the 5K! Kids under 10, $10 for the 5K.
- The premier 5K and 10K event in beautiful Highlands, NC.
Come race and spend the weekend in our beautiful town high up here on the Highlands NC plateau.
Fore more information about the Twilight 5K Race click HERE.
USATF certified 5K course (NC16004DW), chip timed with our own timing team by the Rotary Club of Highlands NC. 10K is not certified.
See photos and video of May’s Twilight 5K HERE.
Article courtesy of Rotary Club of Highlands