Kent State will host its third annual Black Squirrel 5K Race at 8 a.m. Saturday, beginning in the Student Recreation and Wellness Center parking lot.

“I think it’s a great race,” said Greg Bailey, assistant director for intramural sports. “I have so many students that come back for it and we are continuing to improve how the race is run.”

Participants will have a timing chip attached to their bibs to keep track of their running times from the start to the finish line. Runners starting in the back of the race will not have the same starting time as runners at the beginning of the line.

Bailey said the timing system will cause less problems determining times for each runner.

“It’s much more convenient with the timing system, especially with larger races,” Bailey said. “You would have people for an hour in the conference room trying to figure out all the different times for all the different people if it wasn’t in place.”

A $75 first place prize, $50 second place prize and $25 third place prize will be given to the overall male and female winners, and an award ceremony will take place in the gym following the race where winners will be awarded medals.

Bailey said he expects about 700 people to register this year.

The first 500 registered participants will receive a performance T-shirt. Early check-in for the race is from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. this Friday, while check-in Saturday morning will be from 7:00 a.m. to 7:30 a.m.

Late registrations will be available Friday during early check-in hours and

the morning of the event with a $30 registration fee. Participants can expect to run, rain or shine.

Contact Matt Orszag at [email protected]