Three decades after the inaugural Seaside Shuffle, the annual race is taking on a new mission. The 5k run, planned for Nov. 23 in Wrightsville Beach, will benefit a scholarship fund created by the Wilmington Road Runners Club (WRRC) to supplement college costs for two high school seniors.
The race begins and ends at the Blockade Runner Beach Resort with competitors running to the Wrightsville Beach Coast Guard Station and back. The women will start first, at 1 p.m., followed by the men at 1:45 p.m.
The men’s division used to start first in alternate years, but WRRC vice-president Tracy Christian pointed out that also meant the men were first to the post-race party.
“When we let the guys run first they would eat all the food!” Christian said during a Nov. 14 phone interview.
Christian said she expects between 200 and 300 participants of all ages and ability levels this year. The WRRC charges a comparatively low entry fee of $20 to register in an effort to make the event affordable for entire families, she added.
“People bring their family out and have a good time,” Christian said. “They’ll get a little exercise, have a little snack, and we’ve got a band out there by the pool this year, so it will just be a fun family event.”
The price of registration includes drinks, bagels, cookies, live music, a T-shirt and other food provided by Moe’s Southwest Grill. The event was able to secure a dozen sponsors this year, Christian said, which allows them to keep the registration cost low while also funding the scholarships.
“It’s a deal,” she said. “We just try to keep it a low-key afternoon, you don’t have to get up early in the morning to be at the race start, it’s just a fun leisurely thing where you can bring the whole family.”
This year, Christian said, the race funds two $1,000 scholarships, which will be awarded to one male and one female high school senior to help pay college costs. High school seniors who participate in track or cross-country may apply and a committee of WRRC members chooses the recipients.
Christian said the club plans to continue using the Seaside Shuffle to fund the scholarship and hopefully increase the amount awarded over time. The effort is one of several initiatives by the WRRC to encourage young people to stay active.
“We are a running club so we like to do things to promote running,” Christian said. “A lot of us have kids who run. It’s nice to promote things that have to do with health and wellness. … They’re not doing as much P.E. in school so it’s just a good way to fight the childhood obesity.”
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