Lots of opportunities to run — and eat — this weekend.
— Sweetcorn 5K Classic
Run this 5K race, then stick around for some sweetcorn at Hoopeston’s Sweetcorn Festival. The race is 8 a.m. Saturday, and race day registration is from 6:30 to 7:45 a.m. at the Honeywell Grade School gym. There’s also a 1-mile fun run/walk and the Little Corn Eaters Run for kids age 6 and under.
Here’s a link to the race form.

— Rat Race 5K
This race on Monday is part of Arthur’s Cheese Festival. There’s a 1-mile fun run starting at 8 a.m., a 5K walk at 8:15 a.m., the 5K run starting at 8:30 a.m., and a kiddie fun run at 9:30 a.m. Race day registration begins at 6:30 a.m. Don’t forget to get your free cheese after the race, and stick around for the door prizes. The top prize is $100.
Here’s a link to the website for more information. There’s a link for the entry form about halfway down the page.

— Great Illini Challenge triathlons
These races are Saturday at Lake Mattoon at Neoga. There’s an Olympic distance race (1.5K swim, 24.8-mile bike ride, and 10K run), which starts at 8:15 a.m., and a Half-Ironman race (1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike ride, half-marathon run), which starts at 6:45 a.m.
Click here for more information.

Looking ahead:
Weekend of Sept. 11-12:
— F.A.S.T. 5K
This race, on Sept. 11 at Crystal Lake Park, benefits the Rape Advocacy Counseling & Education Services organization, which serves Champaign, Piatt, Douglas and Ford counties. F.A.S.T. stands for “Friends And Survivors Together.”
The race is at 9 a.m., and you can register on race day from 7:30 to 8:45 a.m.
The race allows strollers on the course, but they must start behind all runners and walkers and they cannot enter the finish chute.
For more information and for an entry form, go to www.cu-races.org and click on the “FAST 5K” tab at the top right. Call (217) 344-6298 with questions.
 
— Arcola Broom Corn Festival 10K and 5K
The race is on Sept. 11 includes 10K and 5K runs and a 5K walk. The race starts at 8 a.m. You can register until 7:30 a.m. on race day.
You can register online at www.signmeup.com. Search for the race under “Find Event” at the top. It lists Jodie Dague and Jason Butler as contacts, at (217) 621-1370.
Also, I found an entry form for the race at Body n’ Sole Sports in Savoy.

— Fido Scurry
Take your four-legged friend to this race. Dogs are welcome to run with their humans.
This is a 5K run or 1-mile run or walk on Sept. 11 in Fairview Park in Decatur. It’s sponsored by the Decatur & Macon County Animal Shelter Foundation.
The event includes a blessing of the animals at 8:30 a.m. and a “Yappy Hour” at 8:40 a.m., with a pet parade and costume contest. The races begin at 9 a.m.
Registration forms for the event are available at Decatur veterinarians’ offices and pet grooming and supply stores. You can register at the park on the day of the event too. Call 423-PETS with any questions.
The event also includes a new, free Doggie Triathlon, called “Wheels, Paws & Paddle.” Each triathlon team must include one pet and one person. The team runs/walks 50 feet together; the pet must put at least one paw into pools of water during the “swim”; and the team must start/finish the “Wheels” portion of the race with a non-motorized object with at least one wheel — bicycle, wagon, skateboard, even a toy car. Register for this on race day.

— Heartland Half-Marathon and 5K
The Broken Arrow Road Runners club in Effingham is hosting these races on Sept. 12. Both the half-marathon and the 5K run/walk start at 7:30 a.m. at Effingham High School.
Go to www.runeffingham.com and click on “Register for the Heartland Half Marathon” for more information.
You can also register at packet pick-up at the high school, from 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 11 and from 6 to 7 a.m. Sept. 12.

— Four Seasons 5K
This 5K run and 1-mile family walk is at 3 p.m. on Sept. 11 in Tipton Park in Bloomington. It’s sponsored by the Four Seasons Health Club. Here’s a link to the race form.

Weekend of Sept. 18-19:
— Orchard Days 5K run/walk
This race is 8:30 a.m. on Sept. 18 at Dana Colbert Park in Savoy, and it’s part of the village’s Orchard Days celebration.
Here’s a link to the race form.

— Bob Galloway Memorial Amish Country Bicycle Tour
Another hometown event for me. This ride through Amish country around Arthur on Sept. 18 features four routes, of approximately 20, 42, 60 and 100 miles. Registration opens at 6:30 a.m. in a new location this year, at the Illinois Extension Building at 122 S. Walnut St., Arthur.
The ride includes rest stops with snacks, and you can pay an additional fee for a Mennonite lunch that benefits the Christian School.
Camping is available on Friday and Saturday nights.
The ride is sponsored by the Decatur Bicycle Club. Go to their website at www.decaturbicycleclub.org for more information about the ride.

— Shoreline Classic 15K and 5K
Great race around Lake Decatur. It’s on Sunday, Sept. 19, at Nelson Park. The 15K starts at 7:30 a.m. and the 5K starts at 8 a.m. There’s also a Tot Trot, at 9:15 a.m.
Go to www.shorelineclassic.com for more information or to register. If you register by Sept. 15, it’s $5 cheaper. You can also register on race day beginning at 6:15 a.m.

— Knights of Columbus 5K
This race in Mattoon is at noon on Sunday, Sept. 19. It’s part of Mattoon’s Fall Festival. For more information or to register, go to www.mattoonkofc.org and click on “Fall Festival 5K.” Scroll down towards the bottom to get to online registration.

— Tri-The-Illini Triathlon
This triathlon is on the University of Illinois campus on Sept. 19. The race starts at 8 a.m. with a 300-meter swim at the Activities & Recreation Center pool. The 14.5-mile bike ride is on country roads southeast of Champaign-Urbana, and the 5K run is through campus.
For more information or to register, go to www.fightingillinitriathlon.com and click on the link for the race in the middle of the page. If you print out the race form and mail it in, it must be received by Sept. 15. Prices go up by $10 on Sept. 6. There is no race day registration.

If you know of an event you’d like to see included in the Fit List, please e-mail me at jheckel@news-gazette.com.
 

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