The eighth-annual Seneca7, a 77.7-mile relay race, consisting of 344 seven-member teams running the circumference of Seneca Lake, will be held Sunday, April 28th.
The event begins in downtown Geneva, with runners heading south along the west side of Seneca Lake, through Yates County, Schuyler County including Watkins Glen, and Seneca County, before returning to Geneva for a finish line celebration extravaganza.
“This race was started out of a love for running and a love for the Finger Lakes,” says Seneca7 co-director Jackie Augustine. “It’s an ultra-competitive run for some, and more of a fun run for others, but with Seneca Lake being such a beautiful backdrop it’s a favorite run for so many of our participants from year to year.”
Augustine notes that demand for a Seneca7 entry has increased every year since its inception in 2011, noting that the 2019 edition of the race filled to capacity in just three minutes.
In addition to the standard team entries, organizers open ‘charity slots’ each year: race entry slots set aside for teams willing to pay an increased registration fee, with proceeds going to local not-for-profit organizations. This year 14 lucky charity partners will be on the receiving end of this support.
In addition, race organizers held a ‘free-range raffle’ last fall, allowing individuals to vie for one of two team spots for a fraction of the cost of a regular team entry, with all proceeds donated to charity. Winners were chosen by the chickens of local egg co-op Geneva Peeps, with the whole affair live-streamed on Facebook and YouTube.
“The community enthusiastically comes out in support of this event every year,” says race co-director Jeff Henderson, who notes that the Seneca7 has donated over $67,000 to more than 40 charities since the race was started. “If we can give back to those in need, we and our athletes will do our best to give back.”
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