Melissa Johnson-White comes in first overall in the 2022 5K race during the Black Diamond Express Trail Races event last year. This year’s 12th Annual Black Diamond Express Trail Races, hosted by the Mendon Foundation, will be Sunday August 27. Photo by Dave Burnet
On Sunday, August 27, the Mendon Foundation will be hosting its 12th Annual Black Diamond Express Trail Races, which include a 5K as well as our area’s original Half Marathon.
Runners from all over the country have participated in the past. There are plenty of openings for anyone who wishes to sign up and test their speed and endurance this year! Pre-registration for both races is available through https://runsignup.com and last minute registration for both races is open until 7:30am at the start on Sunday morning.
The Half Marathon course is USA Track & Field Certified (NY17052JG), which enables runners to use the Black Diamond Express Half Marathon as a time-qualifying race for nationally recognized races, such as the Boston Marathon and New York City Marathon. It also is part of Greater Rochester Track Club’s “Rochester Runner of the Year” series.
Both races use an out-and-back format that finish at their starting point, which is just south of the HFL-Mendon Youth Baseball Complex on Route 251 in the Hamlet of Mendon. The Half Marathon starts at 8:00 AM and runs 6.55 miles to the west, turning around behind the Rush United Methodist Church and heading back. The 5K starts at 8:20 AM and runs 1.55 miles west, turning around just past Chamberlain Road and heading back.
This year’s races continue the tradition of cash awards for Half Marathon 1st and 2nd place winners (both male and female) and Mendon 64 and Cottage Hotel gift certificates for 5K 1st and 2nd place winners (both male and female). New this year, Massage Therapy of Mendon has provided massage gift certificates for the Half Marathon 3rd place winners (both male and female).
Once again, Mendon’s Geoff Gretton is making custom-designed ceramic medals to be presented to each Half Marathon finisher.
The trail races are the Mendon Foundation’s primary annual fundraising event to support their ongoing maintenance duties on the Lehigh Valley Trail and the six land trust properties they maintain for public use in Mendon and Caledonia. If you cannot run this year, please donate if you can. Donations can be made at https://mendonfoundation.org/support-us.
The Mendon community is encouraged to come out to the Lehigh Valley Trail on the morning of August 27th and loudly cheer the runners on. Your presence will help make a fun Sunday morning for all! There is no charge to spectate along the trail. Runners love to be cheered on and the best races bring out the communities who host them. Half Marathon runners will be on the trail from 8:00 AM until approximately 11:30 AM.
Spectator access and parking is available at the road crossings of the trail, which consist of West Bloomfield Road, Chamberlain Road, Quaker Meeting House Road, Route 65 and Plains Road (the best spot). Applause, shouting and even cowbells ringing will bring extra energy to the runners as they compete. But please stay to the sides of the trail to keep out of the runners’ way, and park and walk safely off the roads. Spectators also can view the start/finish at the baseball complex although parking will be crowded.
More information about the races, including links to registration forms, can be found at http://www.blackdiamondexpressraces.org.
Thank you for your support of the Mendon Foundation!
