PITTSTON, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — A kickoff event was held Wednesday night in Luzerne County to introduce a new, 10-mile race coming to Northeastern Pennsylvania this fall.
It’s called the Wyoming Valley Run presented by Allied Services.
Organizers are raising awareness about the upcoming race in the hopes of bringing together the local running community.
A pack of runners dashed down Main Street in Pittston. They got to preview the beginning of the course of the newly-announced ten-mile Wyoming Valley Run set to step off in September.
“We are so excited to be bringing a new race to NEPA. We don’t really have a ten-miler here in the area, and it’s a really great distance whether you’re a serious runner who’s been running for years and years, or whether you’re just someone who wants to do your first double-digit race,” Jill Robinson, Board Secretary of the Wyoming Valley Run.
Planning began in 2019 but the in-person race was delayed for three years due to the pandemic.
Organizers gathered at the Tomato Bar to spread the word that it’s finally happening and discuss the details.
“It starts in downtown Pittston, we cross the bridge here, go across Wyoming Ave, and we finish in Public Square in Wilkes-Barre. So, our goal here is to connect the seven municipalities,” said Race Director of the Wyoming Valley Run Ben Robinson.
The mayors of both Pittston and Wilkes-Barre came out to show their support and drum up excitement.
“Whenever we can do things together I’m always thrilled about doing that. I think both of our cities are on a wonderful trajectory and are going places and doing things, and the more we can do things together here in northeast PA, the better off we’re gonna be,” said Pittston Mayor Michael Lombardo.
“We’re working as a partnership, the two cities coming together. We’re only a few miles away and we’re going to continue that partnership and continue to do wonderful things for both cities,” said Wilkes-Barre Mayor George Brown.
Proceeds from the race will benefit five local charities.
“I love this area because we have so many different places to run, whether it’s our really cool downtowns to our countryside,” said Robinson.
So far, organizers have raised more than $23,000 from generous sponsors.
Registration is expected to open in early spring.
