Chuck Ingram prepares for annual 5K

Few people coach track for 59 years and cross-country for 48 of those years. Not many active coaches are turning 80 on Jan. 19. But Chuck Ingram, cross-country coach at Harrisburg High School has done the above and is preparing for the eighth annual running of the "Coach Chuck Ingram 5K Run and Walk" on Saturday Jan. 10.

The starting time is 10 a.m. Saturday. The starting line and finish line are at Harrisburg Middle School. The course is, of course, 5 kilometers long and runs south west on the Tunnel Hill State Trail that parallels U.S. Route 45 south of Harrisburg. The course also includes a loop around the middle school grounds.

The sponsors are many; the restaurants on the list are providing gift certificates which will be raffled while the runners are out running and the walkers walking. The certificates will be presented after the event is concluded.

Only race entrants will be eligible for the raffle.

"We will just keep awarding the gift certificates until we run out," Ingram said.

"The primary sponsor has been the Saline County Tourism Board. "But we have gotten great support from the community at large, especially the Harrisburg businesses."

The list of sponsors is: Saline County Tourism Board, Raben Tires, O'Reilly's Auto Parts, Barnes Lumber, NAPA Auto Parts, Dream Baskets, Barb-B-Q Barn, Wooded Hills restaurant, Morello's Italian Restaurant, Taco Bell, McDonald's, Burger King, Long John Silver's, Wok and Roll, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Hardee's.

As of Thursday morning Ingram said he had 20 entrants in the run and walk event. He hoped to have more by the starting time.

Late entrants need not worry.

"Just show up at the Middle School registration booth between 8:30 a.m. and 10 a.m. on Saturday," he said.

The proceeds for the event will go to support the boys and girl cross country program at Harrisburg High School and the girls track team.