Northborough 5K's Prizes Will be Good Enough to Eat

The prizes in a Northborough church's 5K this Sunday may not last long.

The runners could eat them after the race.

St. Rose of Lima's "How Fit is Your Faith?" family Mass, 5K and cookout starts at 11:30 a.m. at the parish, 244 West Main St.

And the prizes for the top male and female finishers overall and in these age brackets -- 19 and under, 20 to 39, 40 to 59 and 60 and over -- will be "homemade baked goods like apple pies, pumpkin breads and banana breads baked and donated by St. Rose parishioners," according to Megan and Scott Proulx, who are leading the effort.

Kids doing the fun run will receive medals, they said.

The event had drawn 320 people as of Wednesday morning, the Proulxs said.

This interview was conducted by e-mail.

Northborough Patch
What inspired the church to hold a 5K?

Megan and Scott Proulx
The parish wanted to hold a big event as the culmination of the Year of Faith.

Pope Benedict declared Oct. 11, 2012 to Nov. 24, 2013 as "The Year of Faith" and encouraged Catholics around the world to use this time to rediscover and reinvigorate their faith.

Father Jim Houston and the staff of St. Rose wanted to host an event that would bring the parish together as a whole and give everyone a fun way of celebrating their faith.

As a result of a parish brainstorming dinner late last fall, Father Jim and the St. Rose staff decided a special Mass, 5k run/walk, and family fitness day would be just the way to give both the body and soul a workout.

Northborough Patch
What is the course like?

Megan and Scott Proulx
The course starts at the rear of the church parking lot and turns right onto Pinehaven Drive.

The runners do a loop in that neighborhood (left onto Jay Avenue, right onto Shadylane Avenue, right onto Sunnyhill Road) and then turn left back onto Pinehaven Drive. They take a left onto Lincoln Street, left onto Pleasant Street and make a left onto Chestnut Hill Road. They do a loop on Dennis Circle and then head back exactly the same way they came out. It's a nice, mostly flat route, with a little hill or two in the neighborhoods.

Northborough Patch
Is this a fundraiser? If so, how much does the church hope to raise?

Megan and Scott Proulx
This actually is not a fundraiser. This is something that St. Rose is funding for the parish and community. We only asked for $10 per person, and made it free for kids 13 and under. This way we could sponsor a day for families to come without making expense an issue for them. The focus is celebrating our faith, family, and friends with fitness, food and fellowship.

Northborough Patch
How does the race tie into the Family Day activities that day?

Megan and Scott Proulx
The theme of the day is "How Fit is Your Faith?" So the goal of the Family Day was to have activities for the whole family that would be fun, centered around faith and fitness, and bring the families and parish community together.

The day kicks off with a special 11:30 a.m. Mass outdoors on the front lawn of St. Rose.  At 1 p.m., prior to the 5K, there will be an adult fitness class taught by a volunteer instructor from the YMCA, focusing on balance and flexibility for active older adults.

We also have a short kids fun run at 1:30 p.m., rounding out our fitness activities for all ages. The games, DJ, and cookout will hopefully create a festive family atmosphere for everyone to enjoy.

Northborough Patch
What will people enjoy most about the event?

Megan and Scott Proulx
Hopefully they will enjoy the time spent with their families and with the other families of St. Rose of Lima parish and the community as everyone has a chance to enjoy the fall season and reflect on the fitness of their faith.