Event Description

The Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Student Advocates Association is pleased to present the Medical Mountains 5K. Proceeds of this race will benefit students who are currently attending medical school and experiencing extreme medical hardships.

Most families have very limited financial resources during medical school. When someone in their family has a medical emergency it quickly becomes a financial burden. Some examples of what families and students have gone through include a daughter who has relapsed in her cancer diagnosis, a wife and mother who had brain cancer and recently passed away, and a student (who is also a husband and father) who had complications from Crohn's disease which required surgery and a year off school. These are just a few examples from more recent years. Not only do these situations burden these families during medical school, but even after graduation, graduates still have a minimum of three years until they will experience any substantial income. This makes it nearly impossible to pay off any medical bills accrued at that time. Our hope is to be able to provide some financial relief to the approved applicants and help them to more freely move forward with their education.   To learn more about the Student Advocates Association please click HERE. 

5K Start/Finish & Course:
Saturday, April 17, 2021 - 9:00AM
Blackwater Creek Bikeway, Linkhorne Middle School Parking Lot Entrance. Linkhorne Middle School, 2525 Linkhorne Drive, Lynchburg, VA  24503
Out and back on the Blackwater Creek Bikeway (paved surface)

Virtual 5K:
Friday, April 16 - Sunday April 18, 2021
Complete your virtual 5K anywhere in the world. Support our efforts by running the 5k course of your choice. Enjoy our event while using the RaceJoy App to track your speed, distance, hear race cheers, and to easily upload your time. (A cell phone with GPS enabled is required for the App to work properly.)  Or, virtual participants can upload their time and / or participation manually from the event's results page on RunSignUp.  

REGISTRATION:  

5K:  $25 (February 15  - March 28, 2021) || $30 (March 29 - April 16, 2021) || $35  (Race Day)
Current Virginia COVID Mandates restrict road races to 250 participants

Virtual 5K:  $25

Family Pricing (Parents & Children)
Families of 4 or more will receive a discount of $3.00 per person. This option is chosen during registration and expires Friday April 16th.

Registration fees are non-transferable & non-refundable. An entry can only be used for the person registered for the entry. Entries cannot be deferred to the following year or a future event.

If the "in-person" 5K is unable to happen due to COVID mandates or restrictions, participants will automatically be transferred to our Virtual 5K option.

Assisted Participants:
We are pleased to provide an opportunity for assisted participants to enjoy race day. An assisted participant is typically being pushed in a stroller "appropriate" for the event (ie..hand brake, tether, appropriate wheels). Both the participant being pushed and the pusher are required to register for this event. Assisted participants will start prior to the 5K start and be ranked separately from the 5k event. Both the pusher and assisted participant should indicate this classification during the registration process for our planning purposes.

PACKET PICKUP:  
Fri. April 16, 2021 12-6pm
Riverside Runners
2480 Rivermont Avenue
Lynchburg, VA 24503
434.846.7449

Sat. April 17, 2021 RACE DAY  8-8:45am
Start/Finish
Linkhorne Middle School
2525 Linkhorne Rd
Lynchburg, VA  24503)

We are happy to offer the option of having your packet mailed to you. This option is available until Monday April 5, 2021 for an extra fee of $10.00. Participants can select this option during registration. Your mailed packet will include; race bib, race t-shirt, and custom finisher item.

5K AWARDS:  
Top 3 Overall M/F; Top Masters (40+) M/F, Overall awards ranked on "chip" time.  / Age group results ranked on "chip" time. 
*This is a Chip timed event, Disposable MyLaps Race Bib Technology will be used.
*Please note:  There are no awards given for our Virtual 5K

5K AGE GROUP AWARDS:
Top 3 Male & Female Age group, ranked on "chip" time. 12 & under, 13-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60 & older.
*Please note:  There are no awards given for our Virtual 5K

FINISHER ITEM:
Each finisher will receive a branded, wooden, coaster as a complimentary commemorative keepsake.

RACE T-SHIRTS:
Unisex, 100% cotton soft style, short-sleeve, t-shirts are guaranteed to those registered by Sunday March 28, 2021. A limited amount of extra shirts are ordered after this deadline and available on a first-come basis at packet pickup.

COVID BEST PRACTICES
Current Virginia COVID Mandates restrict road races to 250 participants
Participants, volunteers, and spectators will be required to where a mask. (Masks are not required for our registered participants while running or walking.)
There is no on-site, race day registration.
Our start will be organized into waves of 25 persons, starting 30 seconds apart.
Participants, volunteers, and spectators are asked to keep a distance of no less than 6 feet apart.