Jingle Bell Jangle 5K fun for all
COSHOCTON – Despite the frigid temperatures, more than 60 runners, young and older, showed up for the second Jingle Bell Jangle 5K on Saturday, Dec. 10. Many were dressed in holiday outfits and everyone was full of the Christmas spirit and eager to run around the lit path through Lake Park.
DK Races sponsored the race and this year, they partnered with the Coshocton County Fire Fighters Toy Chest to help children in our area have a merrier holiday. Part of the registration fee from each runner will be donated to the toy chest and anyone who came to the event could make a monetary donation or drop off a toy for the chest. Santa was there to thank everyone for helping.
Dustin Haywood and Kelly Treat are co-owners of DK Races. Treat said they started setting up the course at 11 that morning and the biggest challenge was the deep freeze that settled over Coshocton this weekend. They wanted to make the course as festive as possible and lights were placed all around the course. “We just want to say a huge “thank you” to all of the Boy Scouts who came to help today. We couldn’t have done this without them and we really appreciate them.”
Treat said they have been doing races for about five years and always try to make their races fun and festive. Each race has a different theme and she thinks so many runners come to the Jingle Bell Jangle race because it is a great way to get into the holiday spirit and help others at the same time. Every participant received a jingle bell and an arm band that lit up to make the race even more festive.
The area sounded like Santa’s sleigh as runners jumped up and down and stretched to get ready to run. There were even some four legged runners joining the fun and decorated with lit necklaces or reindeer ears.
Aimee Neighbor said she loves the night races and the Christmas race is so much fun. “It’s festive and a great way to support kids in our area,” she said. She said DK Races always does a good job with their events and she knew it would be fun. She added hand warmers inside her thick mittens to help stay warm.
Allen Angle was there with his children, Jillian and Brody Johnson. This was Jillian’s first race and even though she was cold, she was excited to be there and to get the race started. The run was Brody’s fourth and he really likes all the themed races he has been in. Angle said he brought the kids because they wanted to come and because the race was supporting such a good cause. Angle was dressed as an elf and both kids had plenty of Christmas clothes and decorations, too.
Hot chocolate and cookies were waiting at the finish line for the runners. For more information on DK Races and their themed runs, you can “like” them on Facebook or e-mail them at dkraces@gmail.com.
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