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Essex Junction Recreation and Parks will host the second annual Essex Half Marathon on July 28.

“We are excited to be able to offer a race of this distance this time of year,” explained Mark Brislin, Assistant Director of Essex Junction Recreation and Parks.

The race is scheduled to kick off at 8:15 a.m. from the parking lot of Essex High School. The newly certified course will take runners on an out-and-back loop along paved and dirt roads in Essex. Runners will wind their way up and down the hills of Lost Nation Road before turning around at the intersection of Old Stage Road. The final leg of the race will be a lap around the Essex High School track.

“It is an exciting finish to the race,” reflected Brislin. “When runners enter the track, they will have to run approximately one-fourth of a mile, giving spectators a chance to cheer them on to the finish.”

One hundred and fifty racers ventured to Essex for the inaugural event last year, from locals to runners who travelled from as far away as Colorado to participate. This year, the EJRP Department is hoping to attract even more interest.

“We were pleased with the number of participants in last year’s race,” Brislin said. “We have been doing a lot of promotion and hope to see an increase in numbers this year.”

Essex Police, Essex Rescue and the Essex Junction Fire Department will again be offering assistance to make sure the race runs smoothly.

“We receive tremendous support from community members,” Brislin noted. “We received a lot of positive feedback about the volunteers on our course (last year) and the support they provided, particularly about how safe (runners) felt on the course with traffic control.”

Registration is now open for the Essex Half Marathon. Those who register before June 9 can lock in at an early-bird rate of $55 before the price caps at $65. There will be no race day registration.

For more information or to register, visit www.essexhalf.com/.

-Kelly March