VyStar Emerald Trail 5K and 10K puts runners on the trail for the first time

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – As Hurricane Helene moved away from our area, approximately 800 runners decided to enjoy the beautiful weather on Saturday morning.

For the fifth year in a row, walkers and runners participated in the VyStar Emerald Trail 5K and 10K races.

“This is amazing,” said Kemal Gasper, VyStar Vice President of Community Affairs. “Jacksonville is becoming a running community, so the community looks forward to this race every year.”

And it’s all to raise money for the Emerald Trail.

The trail is a 22-mile route that will connect many of Jacksonville’s historic neighborhoods.

“I think it’s great,” Gloria McNair said.

Part of McNair Basic Jacksonville. A group that pioneered much of the Emerald Trail work.

“I say it all the time, and I mean it, that this path is transformational for Jacksonville,” he said. “It brings people together.”

JTC Working organizes the event and plays a major role in the implementation of the Emerald Trail project.

“From the very beginning, we were the first to contribute to the creation of a thoroughfare plan,” JTC board member Larry Roberts said. “As a result of this plan, the Emerald Trail concept emerged; Helping sponsor the Emerald Trail and getting runners involved because we are a running club. “We sponsored the first Emerald Trail 5K, paying all expenses so that all entry fees went to the Emerald Trail.”

But this year’s run had an extra special addition.

After half a decade of work, the runners finally managed to reach part of the course.

They had the opportunity to see it for the first time 1.3 mile section The way they raise money to come together.

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“I’m excited,” Egbert Johnson said before the race. “I wonder what this all means. I just see what sites and things you bring up.

Step organizers at Groundwork Jacksonville said it got them pointed in the right direction and gave runners plenty of room to run.