With its new pathways established, Black Elk-Neihardt Park is an ideal location for a trail race.
“I've really wanted to have things up there for awhile now,” said Greater Omaha Area Trail Runners (GOATz) President Ron Ruhs on Wednesday afternoon.
Now the nonprofit group will.
The What the Hill? Half marathon, Half-a-Half and 5-kilometer races will take place at 8 a.m. Aug. 7 in Blair. The registration deadline is July 18 with about 30 runners already signed up. Those athletes range in age from teenagers to a runner in their 60s.
“It makes me happy to share those trails,” said Ruhs, who's lived in Blair for more than two decades. He's helped his fellow GOATz get onboard for the new half-marathon location after the group's Schramm Park State Recreation Area race was no longer possible.
Now, Ruhs hopes the Black Elk Trail races become regular occurrences.
“We hope its just the beginning,” he said.
The GOATz are running three races of various lengths in Blair to be inclusive as possible. The group's mission is to support and maintain area trails and the best way to accomplish that is to invite folks to their parks.
“The main goal for our trail group is to get people out enjoying things,” Ruhs said.
Tentatively, the half-marathon race will be four laps around the park, the half-a-half will be two and the 5K will be a single loop.
Ruhs said the GOATz have already received local support from Memorial Community Hospital and Health System and Christ Lutheran Church, which is allowing space for overflow parking.
Similarly, the GOATz want to support their trails and communities. The nonprofit organization has donated more than $200,000 during its near-decade long existence.
Ruhs needed Blair City Council approval to host in its new, ideal location and they unanimously approved it.
