The Nature Center at Shaker Lakes is promoting health and wellness, celebrating the Shaker Parklands and supporting the Jenny Goldman Fund and environmental education through its annual Shaker Lakes Hike & Run to be held on Sunday, September 20. This event offers 5K and 10K runs and hikes of varying lengths for runners and hikers of all abilities and ages.
The 5K and 10K courses take runners along the beautiful tree-lined streets around the Shaker Parklands including Lower Shaker Lake and Horseshoe Lake. Both races are chip-timed, managed by HMA Promotions and include awards for winners in various age divisions.
The hikes are all guided and include a one-mile pet friendly, family hike, which is the only time dogs are allowed at the Nature Center. This hike takes participants through the forest, marsh and demonstration prairie within the Nature Center grounds. A four-mile hike leads hikers through the scenic Doan Brook gorge to explore the habitats, history and geology of this unique area that is the beginnings of the Appalachian mountain range.
The Lakes-to-Lake hikes, led by The Cleveland Hiking Club, offer participants three different options for hiking from the Nature Center to the Cleveland Lakefront Nature Preserve. Hikers can opt to hike six miles to the Gordon Boat Ramp and rest or hike nine miles by continuing through the Lakefront Nature Preserve. Both groups take a shuttle back to the Nature Center. Hikers on the 12-mile roundtrip hike arrive back at the Nature Center around 1 pm.
The 5K and 10K races begin at 8:30 a.m., and the hikes depart at 8:45 a.m. All activities begin and end at the Nature Center located at 2600 South Park Boulevard in Shaker Heights. Pre-registration by September 18 for the race is $20, and race day registration is $25. Hikes are $15 per adult and $10 for children under 12, Scouts and school club members. Register at www.hmapromotions.net or beginning at 7 am on event day. All registrants receive a tech shirt and refreshments.
Participants are encouraged to park in the Shaker Heights Board of Education parking lot located at 15600 Parkland and walk across Shaker Boulevard to the Nature Center. Parking is also available at Hathaway Brown School at 19600 North Park Boulevard and Beaumont School at 3301 North Park Boulevard, and a shuttle bus will take participants from both of these locations to the Nature Center and back following the races.
Proceeds from Hike & Run benefit the Jenny Goldman Memorial Nature Outreach Fund that underwrites environmental education for underserved urban youth. Since its inception, this program has played an important role in the education and lives of thousands of underserved urban youth in Cleveland.
Shaker Lakes Hike & Run is presented by Baker Hostetler, C&K Industrial Services and Soft-Lite. Additional sponsors include BDO USA; Edward Jones Investments; RMS Investment Corporation; Cleveland Clinic; Curb Appeal Painting; Hathaway Brown School; Macaroni Kid; The Port of Cleveland; Seagate Investment Company; Sherwin Williams; and Solarflo Corporation, with support from Cleveland Running Company; Metaloy; and fire food and drink.
For more information about the Shaker Lakes Hike & Run, please visit www.shakerlakes.org or hmapromotions.net or call (216) 321-5935.
