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Pace Setter : May 2024
The LifeSong Dash 5k, a “race with a reason!”
by Darren Barkman
Allow me to introduce you to the LifeSong Dash 5K, a “race with a reason” that will be held on Saturday, June 8th at Halfmoon Town Park in Clifton Park. 2024 will be our twelfth edition of the Dash and we just get bigger and better every year.
The LifeSong Dash 5K is the main fundraising and community awareness event for LifeSong, Inc., a Clifton Park-based agency supporting nearly 200 adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Our mission is to “Love, Enhance, Equip and Inspire” them and their families and our goal is to expand life choices, increase social awareness, achieve personal satisfaction and attain greater independence to help each person reach their fullest potential. As a Medicaid-funded program, we reach financial limits in providing quality programming options for our participants. Events like the Dash raise funds to create unique programs like full audio and video recording studios, landscaping equipment, a full art studio and (soon) a full working greenhouse! In 2023, we raised nearly $35,000 with all proceeds going toward these projects to enrich the lives of those we support.
So what about the race? The Dash began in 2012 as a “Fun Run” around Halfmoon Town Park, a celebration of our agency and what we do. Soon, it began to attract serious runners who wanted to transform the Daffodil Dash (as it was originally named) to something bigger. USATF certification soon followed and, by the time I took over as director in 2019, we had well over 300 runners and walkers taking to our course!
Our 5K course (a map is available at our website – www.lifesongdash.com) is an out-and-back style that starts near the clubhouse at Halfmoon Town Park and follows a fairly level path to the park’s south entrance. Runners then turn right onto Route 236, going slightly downhill until taking a sharp left turn onto Hayner Road. This portion provides some steep undulations until reaching a “T” at Lower NewTown Road. A left turn here brings runners down to the turnaround, where everyone makes the journey back to the park clubhouse and the finish line.
Last year, Ben Flanigan from San Antonio, TX was the men’s (and overall winner) with a time of 17:16. Kaitlin Deforest from Terryville, CT won the women’s division at 21:54. In the spirit of our race’s origins, you don’t have to be challenging the leaders to run/walk/participate. We encourage walkers, strollers and critters to register and take to the course. One year, a LifeSong participant actually competed on a tricycle! All of our entrants receive a Dash T-shirt, ice cream donated by Stewart’s, plus other freebies still to be determined!
“Dash Day” is not just a 5K – it’s a party! We host a “Junior Dash” kids’ run, food trucks, live music from some of LifeSong’s participants, face painting and games for the kids, pre- and post-race massages and stretches and more! It’s a wonderful event and I hope you’ll visit our website to register and join us!
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