www.plainvillecitizen.com
Volume 16, Number 25
Thursday, July 25, 2019
Hundreds participate in 12th Petit road race By Devin Leith-Yessian The Citizen
Sprinklers helped save the day as runners defied the heat to take part in the 12th Annual Chips Family Restaurant 5K Road Race Sunday. Elizabeth Mashiak, of Newington, said residents putting out those sprinklers in their front lawns was just one part of the solidarity
which set the 5K apart from many of the other races she’s done. She was joined on the run by around 50 members of the Run 169 Towns Society, a free running club which helps members do an organized run in every town and city in the state. “Everyone had so many great things to say about this one, so we knew we wanted to be in it,” she said. “This
Suzette Reading leads a pack down Locust Street during the Chips Family Restaurant Road Race on Sunday, July 21. Photos by Devin Leith-Yessian, The Citizen
was an awesome community feel. The amount of volunteers they had, it’s amazing.” Those volunteers included around 60 Plainville students, who cheered for racers as they crossed the finish line, cleaned up after the race and handed out cups of water – or poured them over the heads of some racers who were feeling the heat.
Carolyn Checovetes crosses the finish line.
The race started at 9 a.m. on July 21 in front of Plainville High School. It took East Street to Stillwell Drive
down to its terminus at Rosemont Drive, which it followed to Arcadia Avenue. It then used Higgins and Dallas Avenues to reach Woodford Avenue, from where it returned to the high school via Woodland and Locust streets. “It was a fantastic turnout, we were very happy,” said Race Director Bob Heslin, estimating that they had between 500 and 600 runners this year, plus a few hundred participants in the 1.3 mile fitness walk. A half dozen
businesses served free ice cream, fruit and drinks for racers, along with around 1,000 pancakes served out of the Chip’s Family Restaurant food truck. Heslin believes the race is such a success because residents and businesses see the work done by the Petit Family Foundation, which receives all the proceeds from sponsorships and entry fees. Formerly known as the Petit Road Race, the event matchSee Petit, A9
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