Ellen’s Run 5K celebrates 29 years of leading the fight against breast cancer on the East End with its annual race/walk at 9 AM on Sunday, August 18. The run, sponsored by The Ellen Hermanson Foundation, is a community celebration of life for residents and visitors alike.
The foundation is the principal funder of the Ellen Hermanson Breast Centers at Stony Brook Southampton Hospital and Hampton Bays, which serve the entire East End of Long Island, where breast cancer diagnosis and mortality rates are among the highest in the state.
The race/walk starts and ends, rain or shine, at the Southampton Intermediate School. The 3.1-mile course runs through town, down tree and mansion-lined roads, along the ocean blocks and back. The run, one of the largest on the South Fork, is sanctioned by the Long Island branch of USA Track and Field.
Team entries are welcome. Affiliated groups of five are considered a team. In previous years, teams have included families, friends, businesses, organizations, schools, and breast cancer survivors. Teams can include both runners and walkers, and each participant will be timed individually, making that person eligible for individual awards.
The top female, male, and breast cancer runner will be awarded a trophy. The first 500 finishers will receive a medal, and medals will be placed for the first finisher in each age category. A beautiful rose will be waiting for each breast cancer survivor to finish the race.
Runners are invited to sign up in advance or on the race day until 8:59 AM. Children are welcome to participate in the kiddie run at 8:30 AM, followed by Zumba warm-ups and DJ Roggie Rogg’s music. Runners and walkers are invited to wear signs reading “I am running in honor of” or “I am running in memory of.”
All are welcome, and no running skill is required. For sponsorships or information, email info@ellensrun.org or call 631-907-1952.