The late Dr. John Bender believed in Canal Winchester and in the youth of the community and the legacy of his spirit and principles will carry on at the ninth annual Dr. Bender 5K Classic.
This year’s Dr. Bender 5K Classic will be held July 23 at Canal Winchester High School, 300 Washington St.
The 1 mile fun run begins at 8 a.m. and the 5K run/walk and alumni/team race begins at 8:30 a.m. Registration fee for the fun run is $10 prior to the race and $15 the day of the race. Registrtion fee for the 5K is $25 prior to the race and $30 the day of the race. Team members register individually at the 5K rate. Race day registration begins at 7 a.m. Proceeds benefit the Canal Winchester High School boys and girls cross country teams.
Runners will be timed using the digital MyLaps bibtag system provided by the Columbus Running Company.
“Many runners prefer running chip timed races,” said Ron Bell, race director.
The 1 mile fun run will be held on school grounds on a flat grass course.
The 5K course starts near Canal Winchester High School on Washington Street. It then follows side streets for the first half mile. The balance of the course follows paved bike paths through residential areas efore finishing in a partial loop on the high school track.
The Dr. Bender 5K run record holders are Jake Stephens with a time of 15:03 and Kiera Karas with a time of 19:34. Both records were set at the 2014 race.
Email run@drbender5k.com or visit www.drbender5k.com for information.
The event is named in honor of Dr. John Bender, who coached the girls track team and the boys and girls cross country teams at Canal Winchester High School for more than 20 years. His Canal Winchester cross country and track teams collected a total of 12 Mid-State League titles, 8 district titles, and 3 regional championships. The boys cross country team finished as state runner-up in 2006 and in 2007 finished third in the state. A 1960 graduate of Canal Winchester High School who earned earn a doctorate degree from Ohio State University, Bender is also a member of the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame. Bender served on Canal Winchester City Council for 17 years. He passed away in 2013 at age 71 after a battle with leukemia.
