4th of July Chester Classic Fun Run takes place on a Tuesday
Runners and spectators alike are encouraged to dress in outrageous or patriotic outfits at the Chester Fun Run to show their “flair.” From left: 2016 Best Costume won by Devon “Bubble Bunny” Blunden of Reno, with Almanor Recreation and Park District board member Shane Bergmann, race director of the Fun Run for the past six years. Photo submittedThe 38th Chester Classic Fourth of July Fun Run & Walk will be held Tuesday, July 4, with a start time of 8:30 a.m. sharp. Runners are advised to show up early, however, especially if they are registering on the day of the race.
Participants take a looped 3.25-mile course (2.25 paved) that starts on the Collins Pine lawn at 500 Main St. in downtown Chester.
The registration fee is $30 via cash or check. Pre-registration is available between 1 and 5 p.m. on Monday, July 3, at BodFish Bicycles, located at 149 Main St. Registration is also open the day of the event.
Those who register online at chesterfunrun.org, are guaranteed an official T-shirt; otherwise those who wait too long to register before the race could find the shirts sold out. Online registration ends July 1.
Signs along the route are placed to clearly mark the course with a water station available at the two-mile mark.
Snacks and hydration will be provided after the run.
Almanor Recreation and Park District board member Shane Bergmann, race director of the Fun Run for the past six years, said there’s a tremendous amount of interest and history behind the event.
“One of the things I love about the Fun Run is that it gets families physically active. … It’s such a tradition for so many people who live here.”
Bergmann coordinates the event along with his wife, Dolores, who takes care of the website and lists the Fun Run in race directories all across the nation.
People come to participate in the Fun Run from all over the U.S., he said, which increases the number of visitors to the area, promoting the Lake Almanor Basin as an exciting destination.
ARPD is a leading sponsor of the Classic Fun Run, Bergmann noted, with the safety of the event a major priority.
The California Highway Patrol is also a major sponsor, and will be providing guidance along the route to make sure people remain safe during the event.
The fact that the Fun Run kicks off the Fourth of July Parade in Chester is a factor in its popularity, said Bergmann.
The race is a vigorous activity. Competitive runners come to the race specifically to win, and they want their runs to be timed accurately, “which is part of the service we provide to them,” Bergmann added.
Participants can choose instead to walk the route or push baby strollers if they like, as long as they line up behind the racers, said Bergmann.
A costume contest is part of the event, too, Bergmann remarked. People should feel free to dress in wild or patriotic costumes if they prefer.
Proceeds from the run support various local ARPD community programs, Bergmann explained, such as spring and fall soccer games at the Truman-Collins Sports Complex, which is used for the high school softball team and youth basketball leagues, plus a number of other programs for the children in the community.
Sponsors of the Fun Run include Collins Pine Co., Slusher Plumbing, Flooring Brothers, Lassen Peak Photography, Olah Construction, Holiday Market, the CHP and Lake Almanor Fitness Center.
Bergmann said the event is a great way for people to “start out their day and celebrate our freedoms.”
ARPD is not publicly funded and all the board members are volunteers.
For additional information or to register, visit chesterfunrun.org or for more information, email shane@ches
terfunrun.org.
Final results will be posted on the websites: chesterfunrun.org and underthesunevents.org within a couple of hours after the end of the race.
