Lace Up Your Shoes: Waltham Running Series Coming Soon

The Race Around Waltham running series is gearing up for a second season.

The road race series will feature four new events this year including the Saint Jude 5k Road Race and Family Fun Walk, the Prospect Bandit Run, the Western Greenway 5k and the Trick or Treat Trot.

In total, the series includes nine races.

Each race is a fundraiser for charities and is intended to promote healthy living and increase community engagement, according to a race series press release. The series starts on March 30 and ends Nov. 16.

The race series has grown since its inaugural year lest year.

“The results from our inaugural year were fantastic,” said RAW Series Director Tim Irving in a statement. “Enrollment of new runners in each race increased 20 – 40 percent over 2011, we had more than 120 young people ranging in age from 10 - 20 among the competitors, and RAW Series runners contributed  $8,760 for the participating charities.”

The other five races include.

• Shifter’s 5k (benefit for Dana Farber Marathon Challenge). March 30
• JB Blastoff 5k (benefit American Brain Tumor Association). April 6.
• Moody Street 5k (benefit Waltham Public Secondary Schools). May 5.
• Tailgate Trot 4 Mile (Alzheimer’s Association, American Cancer Society, National Multiple Sclerosis Society and the Joslin Diabetes Center High Hopes Fund). June 8.
• Piggy’s 5k Run (benefit Logue Family Charitable Trust). Nov. 16.