Athens Summer Series ends with Thursday's 4K at North Oconee High

The final event of the Athens Summer Series takes place Thursday night on the community course at North Oconee High School with a 4K.

Registration begins at 5:45 p.m. and the event starts at 7 p.m. behind the tennis courts and practice football field. The cost is $5 and is open to runners of all ages. It's also a way for high school runners to gauge where they are at this point of the summer with the high school season just around the corner.

"It helps us and we open our course to the community with a little fundraiser," said North Oconee cross country coach Ralph Moore. "It's low-key. The awards are t-shirts but it is a chance to run on a legitimate cross country trail as opposed to running in a neighborhood for our runners and for the community. We have a welcome mat extended for anybody who would like to join us.

"The start-finish area is near the pavilion that we had built for us by the rotary club for us a few years ago," Moore added. "It will be a two-loop course. Everyone is welcome. We will have concession stands. It is in conjunction with the Titan Twilight just a few weeks down the road on Saturday, August 8. That is a 5K. We also have lots of shorter distances for younger runners. It's a big multisport event that all of our athletes do."

Winder-Barrow and Athens Christian also hosted 3Ks this summer.

"Over the past few years with Fast Feet Timing, we have had a three-run series in the summers," Moore said. "The order fluctuated a little bit this summer."

Last year's run at North Oconee had runners ranging from young students to adults, with almost 160 competitors and a few high schools from around the state brought up to 20 runners.

Runners can sign up online by emailing Bruce Taylor of ga.milesplit (btaylor@ga.milesplit.com) to request a bib number, or you can sign up on site.

"It's a great opportunity for people to see what the sport is like," Moore said.