Komen Race For Cure Booked In OC For Next Two Years; 5K Race Next April Will Be Entirely Along Boardwalk

Komen Race For Cure Booked In OC For Next Two Years; 5K Race Next April Will Be Entirely Along Boardwalk
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OCEAN CITY – Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure will be returning to Ocean City for its 3rd annual event next April and a date hold has already been approved for the event to be held in Ocean City again in 2015.

Last Monday evening Margo Mandes of Komen Maryland requested of the Mayor and City Council to hold the 3rd Annual Komen Maryland Ocean City Race for the Cure on Sunday, April 13, 2014, as well as hold the date for the fourth annual race on April 19, 2015.

The inaugural Komen Maryland Ocean City Race for the Cure took place on April 22, 2012 and had 3,700 registered participants. The event raised about $289,030, which was 24 percent above their goal.

The event included a 5K race that moved north on the Boardwalk and turned to move south on Baltimore Avenue ending at the Inlet lot. A one-mile fun run stayed completely on the Boardwalk.

The 2nd Annual Komen Maryland Ocean City Race for the Cure took place on April 21, 2013 and also followed the course up the Boardwalk and through the streets of downtown.

This event had just over 3,400 registered participants and raised about $320,400, shy of a $500,000 goal but still exceeded the initial amount raised by 18 percent.

Next year’s 5K Race for the Cure is proposed to take place on the Boardwalk, pier and concrete pad east of the Boardwalk and Inlet lot. The one-mile fun run will remain on the concrete pad east of the Boardwalk and the Inlet lot.

Same as previous years, a race village will be located in the Inlet lot where there will be a festival-like atmosphere full of celebration, music and emotion.

With Baltimore Ave. eliminated from the course, the cost to the Town of Ocean City has been drastically lowered. When the event was first proposed to the town, Komen estimated each participant would bring in about $320 in revenue from lodging, food, beverage and recreation resulting in a positive economic impact.

The 3rd Annual Komen Maryland Ocean City Race for the Cure will take place from 6 a.m. to noon. Council Secretary Mary Knight was happy to see festivities starting at a later time then years before hoping it will bring out more participants.

“What was so very beautiful, and many people did not see it, was the survivor parade,” Knight said. “It was so touching. I don’t think there was a dry eye there.”

Mandes responded next year’s event is already seeing an increased percentage of participants from the western and eastern shore.

“You will see a great program this year for 2014,” she said.

Mayor Rick Meehan thanked Komen Maryland for working closely with the town and adjusting the race route in the upcoming year.

“The combination of making some of those changes will make what is already a good event an even better event,” he said.

The Mayor and City Council voted unanimously to approve the date of next year’s Race for the Cure and the date hold for the event in 2015.

According to Susan G. Komen, the Race for the Cure Series includes nearly 150 events on five continents, involves more than 1.5 million participants annually and has raised more than $1.5 billion, as of 2010, while educating the public and honoring those affected by breast cancer. In the U.S., 75 percent of funds raised from the 5K events stays in the local communities to fund education, screening and treatment while the remaining amount funds research.