Rockingham Times

The Chamber Collaborative of Greater Portsmouth issued the following announcement on March 30.

DISCLAIMER: The following content wasn't created by, but is being shared by the Chamber Collaborative on behalf of a member.

GREENLAND—The Great Bay Stewards, a local non-profit dedicated to protecting and conserving Great Bay, is pleased to announce that registration is now underway for the annual Great Bay 5K|Race for a Healthy Estuary, to be held Oct. 29, 2022. Now in its 24th year, the Great Bay 5K is a major fundraiser for the Great Bay Stewards, having brought in more than $300,000 since its launch.

The Great Bay 5K includes a team competition and the chance for teams to vie for the New England Oyster Cup, won in

 2021 by the Runner’s Alley team. Groups of 10 or more receive customized race shirts and team photos taken before the race. They can also compete for fastest female team and fastest male team, with a pizza party for the winning teams. “We’ve had a lot of fun with the different teams over the last few years,” says Nancy Eckerson, director of the team competition. “We get everything from the New England 65-Plus Runners Club to local elementary school groups to highly competitive racing teams to competing neighborhoods. I’m excited for even more new teams to join the event in 2022.”  

This year will also represent the third year of the accompanying Great Bay 55K Challenge. The 55 kilometers represent a suggested route that circumnavigates the entire estuary, traveling from the Discovery Center in Greenland, through Newmarket, Newfields, Durham, Portsmouth, Newington, and returning to the waterfront at the Center. People can choose to complete the entire 55K any way they prefer – including on a treadmill - and log their miles along the way. A virtual Great Bay 5K option will also again be available.  Participants have between October 1st to 29th to compete the virtual 55K and/or 5K.  

The Great Bay 5K is a fast, mostly downhill race that takes place along the shores of Great Bay in the Seacoast region of New Hampshire. The course begins at Stratham Hill Park in Stratham, N.H., and ends at the Great Bay Discovery Center in Greenland, N.H.  Runners and walkers often come dressed in their Halloween costume and the race is home to many participants’ personal record.  The Great Bay 5K is the last race in the popular Seacoast Series, with each race in the series benefiting an area nonprofit.  Registration for both the 5K and 55K races is open online through October 27.  Participants in the 5K will receive a long-sleeve, high-tech race shirt race t-shirt if they register by October 3, while those who sign up for the 55K Challenge will receive a commemorative hat.  

For the third year, complimentary beer, cider and oysters will be available for participants who visit supporting breweries and restaurants the weekend of the race. Participating this year are Deciduous Brewing Company, Liars Bench Beer Company, North County Hard Cider, Sawbelly Brewing, Stoneface Brewing Co., Tributary Brewing Company, and The Franklin. Numerous race prizes are available, including for five-year age groups, age-graded winners, best costume, the first male and female contestant to finish the 55K course, and more.  Registration costs range from $15 to $40, including special youth and senior rates.    

The Great Bay 5K is the largest fundraiser for the Stewards, a local non-profit that has been dedicated to protecting and conserving Great Bay for more than 25 years. Funds raised through the events will go toward improving and updating exhibits in the Discovery Center, bring students from socioeconomically challenged schools on fieldtrips, research into threatened as well as invasive species around the estuary, and more.  

About the Great Bay Stewards

The Great Bay Stewards, a non-profit organization established in 1995, play an integral role in a variety of programs associated with the Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Through fundraising events, private donations, and educational programs, the Stewards provide critical support to supplement state and federal funding received by the Reserve. To fulfill its mission to protect Great Bay for future generations, the Stewards also work with area organizations to raise awareness of critical issues and promote estuarine conservation.  

To learn more about supporting the Stewards and our work, please visit us at www.greatbaystewards.org.

About the Great Bay Discovery Center

In 1993, the Great Bay Discovery Center opened on the shores of Great Bay and serves as the education headquarters of the Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, a state and Federal partnership between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, who owns and manages the facility. Located in Greenland, the Center is a popular destination for thousands of annual visitors. Inside the Discovery Center there are interpretive exhibits about Great Bay, including interactive displays about salt marsh farming, salmon migration, plankton, tides, and research on the Bay. Outside there are interpretive trails, a boardwalk, a children’s play area, and other facilities.  

Caption: Runner’s Alley Team holding the New England Oyster Cup in 2021  

Original source can be found here.