Put on your running shoes as registration is underway for the 27th annual Sandy Springs Lightning 10K/5K, the official kick-off to the 32nd Annual Sandy Springs Festival. The races will be held Saturday, September 23, 2017 and are a time-honored tradition at the Sandy Springs Festival.
The longest-standing race in Sandy Springs began in the fall of 1990, spearheaded by the energy of longtime Sandy Springs Festival volunteer Doug Kessler. Known as the “festival fun run”, the race ultimately became the Lightning 10K because Kessler encouraged participants to “run like lightning” while they were racing. Kessler was committed to improving and growing the race each year, until his death in 2005. Kessler’s wife, Margie, continues to play an instrumental role in planning the event that Doug held so close to his heart, saying “It is a great event for our city and continues to serve as a wonderful tribute to Doug’s memory.”
The races serve as the official kick-off to the Sandy Springs Festival, with an 8:00 a.m. start time for each. Both the 5K and 10K courses are USAT-Certified and the races feature chip timing to electronically record the runners’ times. Known for FAST and FLAT courses, the races are also popular AJC Peachtree Road Race qualifiers.
“We are thrilled to continue the 27-year tradition of the Sandy Springs Lightning 10K and 5K races,” said Sarah Poland, Festival Director. “We are also excited to announce that this year, your furry friends will be able to participate as well! The Sandy Springs Festival has always been a pet-friendly event, so we wanted the race to reflect this too. We look forward to welcoming all members of the community – both young and old, and both two-legged and four-legged!”
Runners may register in advance online at www.sandyspringslightning.com. Racers receive a high performance technical t-shirt*, complimentary water and post-race snacks, and giveaways from sponsors. Everyone is encouraged to register early in order to take advantage of early bird pricing, as well as to guarantee a t-shirt. Runners may also register day-of beginning at 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 23 at the Sandy Springs United Methodist Church Activities Center Parking Lot (85 Mount Vernon Highway NW).
The 2017 Sandy Springs Lightning 10k/5k is sponsored by the Sandy Springs Society, the City of Sandy Springs, Sandy Springs Hospitality & Tourism, Kroger, Whitehead & Associates, Burn Boot Camp Sandy Springs, BodyFitz, PT Solutions, Southern Recipe Snacks, and Sandy Springs United Methodist Church.
The Sandy Springs Festival is held at Heritage Green, 6075 Sandy Springs Circle, Sandy Springs, GA and the surrounding area. Festival dates and hours are Saturday, September 23, 2017, 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. and Sunday, September 24, 2017, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For the first time in the event’s 32-year history, the festival will be presented free of charge to the community! For more information, visit www.sandyspringsfestival.com, “like” the Sandy Springs Festival on Facebook, or email events@heritagesandysprings.org.
