Fox Lake 5K benefit set to start Saturday

People are lining up to take part in the ninth annual Fox Lake Mayor's Challenge 5K Run/Walk on Saturday.

The event, which benefits the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, ends a week of festivities with the 5K run downtown.

Registration begins at 7 a.m., and runners and walkers leave at 8 a.m. American Fitness will hold a race warm-up at the starting line at 7:30 a.m.

The starting line is at Millennium Park at Grand Avenue and Rollins Road, across from the Fox Lake Town Center shopping center.

The race takes people west on Grand before turning south on Devlin Road. Then, it turns northwest onto Rollins to end back at the starting line.

"Of all the events I do all year this is the most important one," Mayor Cindy Irwin said. "It's the closest to my heart and I get goose bumps whenever I see it."

The event was started because Irwin's daughter, Missy, was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 32.

Irwin said the village has raised more than $100,000 for the cancer foundation since the race began nine years ago.

People can register the day of the event or by calling the village at (847) 587-2151 or by sending the entry fee to the village at 66 Thillen Drive in Fox Lake. Put "attention 5K registration" on the check.

Participants can pick up their runners packet the village hall, 66 Thillen Drive.

Registration is $20 for the race only, or $25 for the race and a pasta dinner to be held today. Students up to 14 years of age pay only $10. Tickets for the pasta dinner only are $5.

People also can purchase a sign to be placed on the race route. The signs are $25. Interested parties should obtain a form by visiting www.foxlake.org.

The all-you-can-eat-pasta dinner is from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. today at the Fox Lake Volunteer Fire Department, 114 Washington St.

"This is going to be an awesome year," Irwin said. "It really gets bigger and better every time we do it."