Canton Marathon Sponsors New Trail Trot Nov 3

The new Middle
Branch Trail in Plain Township and Canton will be the site of a new event on
Sat., Nov. 3 celebrating active families, health, and wellness.  The timed but non-competitive “Trail Trot
& Fun Run” is sponsored by the Canton Marathon with support from Stark
Parks.  The Trail Trot will feature a
4-mile point-to-point trail run, as well as activities for young children at
the Schneider Park Disc Golf Course.

Parking and
event-day registration begin at 6 a.m. at High Mill Church of the Resurrection,
1920 Schneider St. NE, next to Schneider Park. All participants must check in
Nov. 3 before 7:30 a.m. at the church to get their Trail Trot bib and t-shirt. Buses
will take Trail Trot participants from the church to Canton’s Schreiber Park from
7-8 a.m., where the timed event will begin at 8:30 a.m. Families will run back
to Schneider Park, being released in groups at 5-minute intervals. (Participants
with dogs must secure their own transportation to the start.)

“We hope active
families who may not have participated in a run will try this out. They’ll be timed
so they learn their pace, but it’s strictly for fun,” said Rob Steinberg,
managing director of the Canton Marathon, and a new runner himself. “Of course,
more seasoned runners are also welcome to participate too.”

“For families
with young children we’ve planned activities at the Schneider Park Disc Golf
Course. These activities will be free, will begin at 8:30 a.m., and
participating youngsters will get a special gift,” said Steinberg.

On-line registration
for the timed Trail Trot and Fun Run is underway at www.CantonMarathon.com. Cost is $15 for adults and
$10 for children ages 11 and under, through Noon on Oct. 24 to guarantee a race
t-shirt. Online registration at the $15/$10 rate continues through Noon on Oct.
31 without a t-shirt.  Paper
registrations must be postmarked by Mon., Oct. 22 to guarantee a t-shirt and
mailed to Canton Marathon, 2618 Fulton Dr NW, Canton 44718.

Event-day
registration and check-in will be at High Mill Church from 6-7:30 a.m. at $20
for adults and $15 for children 11 and under. Young children participating in
the Disc Golf Course activities only at Schneider Park are free.

Due to the
non-competitive nature of the event, there will be no awards for overall finishers
or age groups. However, participants who register for the Trail Trot by Oct. 24
will get a t-shirt, and all finishers will get an event souvenir. The family-friendly
post-event celebration will include music, refreshments, and all the amenities
that Schneider Park has to offer, including an accessible playground, confined
dog parks, and the disc golf course.

Questions may
be directed to the Canton Marathon at 330-456-9811 or info@CantonMarathon.com. 

The nearly
7-mile long Middle Branch Trail was opened by Stark Parks in early June and
includes a 1.57-mile loop trail around GlenOak High School, a 1.01-mile loop
around Plain Township’s Schneider Park and continues south through the City of
Canton’s Martindale Park, Oak Park, Reifsnyder Park, ending at Schreiber Park,
where the Trail Trot will begin at 8:30 a.m. Funds for construction of the
crushed-limestone trail were provided by a $450,000 Clean Ohio Trail Funds
grant with matching funds provided by Stark Parks’ operating levy.