FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Shires of Vermont Marathon Announces Prodigal Son/Daughter Awards
Special Prize Open to Fastest Runners with Vermont Roots
The top runners in this May's inaugural "Shires of Vermont Marathon" who
live beyond the Green Mountain State's borders, but can claim past Vermont
connections, will be eligible for special recognition, race organizers have
announced.
The "Prodigal Son" and "Prodigal Daughter" prizes will be awarded to the
fastest non-resident runners who were born or grew up in Vermont, or whose
parents or grandparents-or more distant ancestors-lived in the state.
The new 26.2 mile marathon, scheduled for Sunday May 15, connects the
county's two Shire towns, Bennington and Manchester, which will each be
marking 250th anniversaries this year. Bennington's first settlers arrived
in 1761, while Manchester and the other towns along the route were
chartered that same summer.
Runners won't need to provide evidence of their Vermont roots, but they
will be asked to spell out the nature of their connection to the state.
The race starts at the Bennington Center for the Arts, just outside
historic Old Bennington (50 minutes east of Albany, N.Y.), and proceeds
through North Bennington, Shaftsbury, Arlington, and Sunderland before
finishing at Hildene Meadows in Manchester. The race will benefit the
Children and Family Services program of the United Counseling Service of
Bennington County.
The Batten Kill Valley Runners club, a non-profit, 501(c)3 organization
dedicated to promoting health and fitness through the sport of running, is
organizing the race-the first full-length marathon to be held in southern
Vermont. The club holds races throughout the year in southwestern Vermont
and adjacent New York State. The race will benefit the Children and Family
Services program of the United Counseling Service of Bennington County.
Race applications and online registration, along with information on
volunteering and race sponsorship, are available at
www.shiresofvermontmarathon.com. Runners will receive a discount by
registering by Feb 28. For more information, contact David Durfee, race
director, at or 802 442-4414.
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