After what seemed like months of non-stop rain, Friday early evening is looking like a super time for the fifth annual Flanders Field & Forest 5K. We are so glad that you are joining us for our organized trail walk or run. We have over 300 registrants and have ironed out some of the final details on both the trail run and the post-race celebration:
Bib Pick-up
Thursday, June 6th from 9:00am to 4:00pm
Friday, June 7th from 9:00am to 3:00pm
You can pick up your race bib and, if you registered by May 6th, your race tee-shirt, at the Flanders South Barn administrative offices, 596 Flanders Road (yellow house). We will also accept additional registrants at the office. Please note – race bibs are not transferable!!
Friday, June 7th from 4:00pm to 5:30pm
You can pick up your race bib and, if you registered by May 6th, your race tee-shirt, at a Packet Pick-up table outside of the Flanders Sugar House, located a quarter mile from the intersection of Flanders and Church Hill Roads in Woodbury. Please note – race bibs are not transferable!!
Consistent with our mission, instead of handing out a race bag filled with paper flyers, we are doing a virtual race bag. You can click on the links at the bottom of this letter to get information from our sponsors and prize donors.
Arrival
The race will be kicking off from the Flanders Sugar House promptly at 6:00pm. Please arrive by 5:30pm. This will help our parking attendants better direct the flow of traffic. Church Hill Road will be closed to traffic at 5:55pm, giving you no access to the site until after the run if you arrive late.
Course Map
Click here to view the course map: Flanders Field & Forest 5K Course Map
The start/finish line is outside of the Flanders Sugar House. Since this is a trail run, there are no street signs to guide you. The course will bring you through fields, meadows, dirt roads and trails throughout the Flanders main campus, the Van Vleck Sanctuary. The course will be well marked with cones, arrows and orange spray paint and neon pink trail markers. In addition, we will have volunteers stationed throughout the course to help guide you. Please show them your appreciation as you pass them.
Caution and Safety
For some of you, this will be your first trail run. It will be a beautiful and picturesque course, but it is very different than running on roads. A huge benefit of a trail run is that you will not have to worry about cars! However, the ground in areas is rough and uneven, and there are roots and stones at some points. You need to watch your step, look out for obstacles and be careful! No need to go for a personal record here – your pace for a trail run will typically be slower than on open roads and that is OK – we want you to have fun and stay safe. That being said, if you need medical attention, see one of the volunteers throughout the course. We will also have EMTs on site.
Bug Spray Advised
You are in the woods at twilight – no more explanation needed!!
Food and Beer
Each registrant will get two food tickets, and if 21+, a beer ticket. Each food ticket gets you one food item and the food tickets can be used at the La Tavola Pizza Truck, Wing It On Truck, the Woods Pit BBQ pulled pork station or the burger/hot dog station. The ice cream truck will offer its products for cash and will donate 15% of its sales to Flanders, so please support it! The beer ticket can be used at the beer station, but you may be required to show ID. If so, take it as a compliment!! If you want additional food and/or beer, or non-registrants want food/beer, tickets can be purchased for $5 at the Ticket Purchase table. Food and beer will not be available until the first runner crosses the finish line. To purchase beer tickets, you will be asked to show a photo ID. In addition, popcorn and soft drinks will be available for sale (cash only) during the race for spectators.
Water will be available at the finish line and at the post-race celebration.
Prizes
We will award prizes to the first and second place finishers overall and first place finishers in each age group. The prizes were all donated and include Thrive gift certificates, Woodbury Fitness on Main gift certificates, Flanders maple syrup, Quassy Amusement Park passes, Panera and TJ Maxx and gift certificates. Please support all of these businesses as well as our sponsors, each of whom donated financial support, goods or services.
We will announce prize winners shortly after the last participant finishes the course.
Entertainment
Root Six, a local, popular band based in Woodbury, CT, will be performing and the band members are graciously donating their time and talents to make our event even more festive!
Weather
The Field & Forest 5K will take place rain or shine. We reserve the right to postpone or cancel in the event of a lightening storm. If there are any changes due to weather, possible means of communication to registrants will be email, posting on the Flanders website www.flandersnaturecenter.org and the Flanders Facebook page, and/or posting at the race site.
Departure
Please note that Church Hill Road will be closed until approximately 7:00 p.m. to ensure the safety of all of our runners and walkers.
We hope you have a super time at the Field & Forest 5K and enjoy our beautiful sanctuary in Woodbury.
Thanks so much,
Arthur Milnor
Executive Director, Flanders Nature Center & Land Trust
Jodi Wasserstein
Race Committee Co-Chair
Heather Roy
Race Committee Co-Chair
Race Committee
Heidi Ball
Paula Baron
Kristen Jacoby
Dana Moreira
Ellen Rosmarin Zwang
Mel Larkin
Michelene Todd
Anne Westerman
VIRTUAL RACE PACKET LINKS
Flanders Nature Center & Land Trust is so appreciative of our sponsors and prize donors. Please check out the links to their websites or coupons below and please support our sponsors. Thanks so much!!
Law Offices of Dana D’Angelo, LLC
Homes by Heather
Pediatric Dental Associates of Southbury
Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine Centers
Quassy Amusement Park & Water Park
Waterbury Orthopaedic Associates
For more Flanders programs, check out our:
ENJOY THE RUN – STAY SAFE!!