Stampede 5K celebrates 20 years

NEWTON — The Stampede 5K and Mile Run is holding its 20th year at Lodestar Park, on Route 94 in Newton, on Sunday, May 17 at 10 a.m.

The event will feature live music, prizes for the top three male and female finishers, large chocolate medals for top three winners in each age group and post-race baked goods.

The Stillwater Stampede was born 20 years ago and was held at the Stillwater Elementary School for its first few years. Due to the race's growth and concerns for safety on the original road course, the race moved to Swartswood State Park.

“At both of these first two locations, the Stillwater Police Department was a phenomenal help blocking off traffic and providing assistance in any way they could,” said the race's director, Guy Gordon.

For the next bunch of years, an increase in the amount of prize money offered for the top three men and women saw elite runners from all over the world making their way to Stillwater for the event.

The number of area races being held in the spring increased, and the amount of available sponsors declined, so the race committee decided to phase the Stampede into more of a community event, offering gift certificates to area stores to the top three males and females and featured locally homemade jam for age group prizes.

After many years at Swartswood, the disbandment of the Stillwater Police Department and bureaucracy at the park forced the Stampede to look for a new home. The Fredon Recreation Commission took the race in with open arms, and four years ago, the race was renamed “The Stampede,” and moved to bucolic Lodestar Park.

“Lodestar is an excellent venue for our event," said assistant race director, Laurie Gordon, “The varied terrain is a big hit with the runners, and the way the race sets up, they can hear music most of the time that they are out on the course.“

The Stampede benefits two vital youth running programs. The Bears is held every spring and fall for kids in grades 4 to 8, and the Polar Bears is a winter program open to kids in grades 4 to 12.

These programs have helped more than 1,000 kids over the past 20 years to reap the many physical and mental benefits of the sport of running.

“Something very unique about the Stampede is its low cost,” said Al Siuta of Racing NJ who volunteers to time the event, “Where most running races cost upward of $35 to enter these days, the Stampede is $15 for pre entry and $20 the day of the race which is pretty much unheard of these days.”

This is because of the Stampede's marquis sponsor, The Law Office of Jeffrey S. Katz and secondary sponsors, the Back on Track Agency and Fudge4Ashley.

Lodestar Park is located across Route 94 from the Fredon Elementary School. This year's race will feature live music by singer/songwriter, Jack Tannehil. One of the things for which the race has become famous is its post-race home baked goods, courtesy of the moms whose children are in the Bears Running Program.

For information, call 973-362-8006 or 973-271-6624. Day of race registration will open at 8:30 a.m.

— Laurie Gordon is a freelance writer of Straus News