FEASTER FIVE THANKSGIVING DAY ROAD RACE TO FEATURE PRIZES FOR FAMILIES WITH THE MOST ENTRANTS

Online registration now open at www.feasterfive.com until 10,000 slots fill or Nov. 20; online fee waived this year

ANDOVER, Massachusetts — The upcoming, popular Feaster Five Road Race on Thanksgiving Day will feature an expanded family division that awards additional prizes to family teams of 10 or more celebrating Thanksgiving by running together. 

Hosted by the Merrimack Valley Striders and managed by DMSE Sports, the Feaster Five Road Race's 5-mile and 5K races will begin at 8:30 a.m. and the Kid’s Fun Run at 7:45 a.m. All three races – which encourage walkers as well - begin near Brickstone Square on Main St. in Andover at the corner of Rt. 133 and Rt. 28. Proceeds from the race will benefit the Merrimack Valley Hospice (www.homehealthvna.org) and Merrimack Valley YMCA (www.mvymca.org).

To encourage online registration, Race Director Dave McGillivray of DMSE said the race this year is waiving the additional online fee for those who sign up at www.feasterfive.com. The deadline to register online is Nov. 20, however, McGillivray advises runners to sign up right away as the race may fill sooner due to a field limit of 10,000 this year. 

New this year is an expanded family division contest, where families of 10 or more receive prizes. Families who wish to participate register as individuals online at www.feasterfive.com before the race fills up or by Nov. 20 (whichever comes first) and then send an e-mail to dmse@dmsesports.com with their members’ names, ages, race/walk entered (5 mile, 5K, Kid's Fun Run) as well as the name and contact info (email, phone, address) of a designated team captain. 

Awards will go to the families with the most entrants. Prizes for families will include a Christmas tree and a spiral-sliced ham for the five largest family teams and a spiral-sliced ham for the next five teams. All eligible family teams will receive a gift certificate to Dunkin’ Donuts. 

“The holidays are a time for family, so what better way to spend Thanksgiving than to celebrate fitness as a family,” said Tom Licciardello of the host running club, the Merrimack Valley Striders.

The Merrimack Valley Striders was founded in 1979 to encourage and enhance running at all levels – from beginners to seasoned marathoners to members who run to improve their health. Though founded in Massachusetts’ Merrimack Valley north of Boston, the running club has members from as far away as Florida and Arizona. For additional information, visit www.mvsruns.com.

The Feaster Five is a festive race featuring New England running legend Bill Rodgers, bands and music along the course, digital clocks posted at each mile, holiday refreshments after the race and, of course, the traditional apple pie for all finishers. The race also provides ample free parking and a glossy race program, courtesy of the Eagle-Tribune, for all entrants. 

The Feaster Five Expo – featuring a variety of sponsors and vendors - will be held Nov. 22–24 at the Merrimack Valley Y, 165 Haverhill St., Andover, in conjunction with on-site registration, bib number and t-shirt pick-up.

This is the 23rd year for the race, one of New England’s largest road races. The Eagle-Tribune Publishing Company is the title sponsor of the event and Harvard Pilgrim HealthCare is the presenting sponsor. The gold sponsor is TD Bank, and silver sponsors include Trinity Emergency Medical Services, Eastern Bank, Holy Family Hospital, Mix 104.1, Table Talk Pies, Bagel Boy and Cedar’s. Bronze sponsors include Merrimack Valley Credit Union, Coca-Cola, Cape Cod Potato Chips, Burton’s Grill, Costa Fruit & Produce, Fuddruckers, Whirlaway Sports Center, Coldwell Banker, Brickstone Square, New England Eye and Facial Specialists, Nexamp Clean Energy Solutions, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Woodworth Chevrolet, Enterprise Bank, Smolak Farms and Dunkin’ Donuts. 

Volunteers are also needed. Detailed information about how to sign up to help on race day can be found on the volunteer page at www.feasterfive.com/Volunteer or by e-mailing Crissy Licciardello at crissyl26@yahoo.com. 

For additional information and to register, go to the race website at www.feasterfive.com. Known as “Team DMSE,” DMSE Sports produces or manages more than 30 events per year and recently organized a record three events in one day on Oct. 3 – the Hasbro Children’s Hospital Walk-in Providence, the Lustgarten Walk for Pancreatic Cancer in South Boston and the Hike for Hope in North Andover, raising close to $1 million for worthy causes in a single day. 

Founded by Dave McGillivray in 1981, DMSE Sports, Inc. is a leader in sports event management, specializing in creating, marketing and producing mass participatory athletic events throughout the U.S. and abroad. McGillivray has produced or consulted on more than 900 mass-participatory athletic events throughout the world, including 23 Boston Marathons; the TD Bank Beach to Beacon 10K in Maine; the 2004 and 2008 USA Women’s Olympic Marathon Trials, the 1990 Triathlon World Championship, the 1998 Goodwill Games Triathlon, and the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. For more info, visit www.dmsesports.com.