Wellen Park to host second annual Half Marathon and 5K, presented by Hotwire Communications

VENICE, Fla. (Nov. 27, 2023) – Calling all runners and walkers – Wellen Park will host its second annual Half Marathon and 5K, presented by Hotwire Communications, Saturday, March 16, 2024. The 13.1-mile course is certified by USA Track & Field.

Both races start and finish at Solis Hall in Downtown Wellen, with an awards ceremony to recognize male and female winners in the following categories: overall, masters, grand masters, senior grand masters, veterans’ grand masters and top three finishers in each age group. Runners and attendees are encouraged to dress up and celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with festive green gear. Attendees will also enjoy live music from Solis Hall’s outdoor stage, as well as beverages and food from different Downtown Wellen restaurants and The Yard eateries.

“We are thrilled to host the Half Marathon and 5K for the second year,” said Rick Severance, president of Wellen Park. “As a USATF-certified course, the Wellen Park half marathon course is flat and fast, and it allows runners to strive for a PR, compare their performance to other races and qualify for larger national events.”

The half marathon is open to runners 15 and older and starts at 7:30 a.m. The 5K run starts at 7:45 a.m. and is open to runners and walkers of all ages, with strollers and leashed dogs permitted. The half marathon and the 5K have also been cleared for disabled runners. The course is flat, paved and will be well-marked.

Entry fees are $80 for the half marathon and $30 for the 5K. Entry fees increase Jan. 1, 2024, and spots are limited.

            Registration and event details, such as race packet pick-up, are available at runsignup.com/Race/FL/Venice/WellenParkHalfMarathonand5K.

Hotwire Communications has signed on as the presenting sponsor for the Half Marathon and 5K run. Additional sponsorships are available. For more sponsorship information, contact [email protected].

About Downtown Wellen

Downtown Wellen is the region’s newest social and gathering spot, offering restaurants, boutiques, beauty services, and medical and professional offices. The downtown’s thoughtfully designed spaces create unique outdoor experiences – from intimate parks, a natural playground and a living room shaded by a decades-old relocated live oak tree to larger gathering spaces like the Great Lawn for community festivals, markets, celebrations and events, and the lakefront fountain and splashpad. Solis Hall features an outdoor stage, a lakefront patio and an easy flow from inside spaces to neighboring alfresco areas.

The pedestrian-friendly downtown emphasizes heartfelt connections to community and nature and celebrates a waterfront vibe with the 80-acre Grand Lake providing a scenic backdrop and opportunities for fishing and paddle sports. Visitors can enjoy time on the water and along downtown’s 3-mile lakefront trail with on-site bicycle, e-bike, kayak and paddleboard rentals at Kind Vibes Outfitters.

Also open is The Yard, offering a playful outdoor environment with a dining area, games and activities, and ultra-casual food and beverage choices served counter style from retrofitted shipping containers. The Yard features gourmet ballpark favorites from Atlanta Braves-affiliated Pop Dawgs, New England-style seafood at Claw & Co. and the ultra-casual eatery Lakeside Bites, owned and operated by the proprietors of the adjacent Kind Vibes Outfitters.

Located at 19745 Wellen Park Blvd., Venice, Downtown Wellen can be accessed directly from Preto Boulevard and U.S. 41, just west of South River Road. A future downtown entry directly from U.S. 41 and Wellen Park Boulevard is currently under construction.

Learn more about Downtown Wellen and access a complete list of businesses at wellenpark.com/shop-dine.

About Wellen Park

Consistently ranked among the U.S.’s top-selling communities annually by prominent real estate consulting firms RCLCO and John Burns, Wellen Park offers a mix of single-family and multifamily residential, commercial and recreational options. The community currently has approximately 9,500 residents, and at full buildout will have more than 50,000 residents and 22,500 homes within its three distinct districts: West Villages, Downtown Wellen and Playmore.

Wellen Park’s expanding residential choices include new-construction single-family homes in picturesque neighborhoods, a dynamic new lifestyle concept for active adults 55+, paired and attached villas, coach homes and condominiums for a low-maintenance lifestyle.

Rental options in Wellen Park range from one- to three-bedroom luxury apartments and single-family homes to an apartment community for adults 55 and older, and world-class independent, assisted living and memory care.

Wellen Park is close to top-ranked Gulf of Mexico beaches and the area’s many attractions.

To learn more about living at Wellen Park, call 941-960-7805, go to wellenpark.com or visit the Welcome Center at 12275 Mercado Drive in Venice, Fla. The Welcome Center is open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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Contact:

Jennifer Hamilton, Gravina, Smith, Matte & Arnold Marketing and PR, 239-275-5758, [email protected]