BEVERLY — It's not to late to register for the Emerald Isle Mile, a one-mile foot race that sends runners along the path of the South Side Irish St. Patrick's Day Parade.
The race begins at 11:30 a.m. Sunday at 104th Street and Western Avenue in Beverly. Runners head straight south, finishing at 112th Street in Morgan Park. The starting line is near Running Excels, a running store that sponsors the annual race.
Online registration is closed, but runners can still sign up in the store at 10328 S. Western Ave. in Beverly, owner Beverly Lynch said.
"It's not going to rain this year. It's going to be sunny, so I think people are thinking of coming out," she said Thursday afternoon.
In-person registration and packet pick-up for those who pre-registered will take place from noon-7 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 10-11 a.m. Sunday. It costs $20 to run the race, except for those who sign up the day-of the event. Then, the race costs $25.
Most runners receive a T-shirt ahead of the race, but there's no guarantee of a shirt for those who sign up last minute, Lynch said.
The race will be timed. All runners must complete the course in 15 minutes, as the parade begins at noon on Sunday. The parade starts at 103rd Street in Beverly and also heads down Western Avenue, ending at 115th Street in Morgan Park.
Proceeds from the race are donated back to the parade organizing committee, said Lynch, who added that about 150 people typically run the race.
Parking is often difficult to find nearby and some in-season high school athletes are prohibited from participating. Nevertheless, Lynch has no plans to discontinue what has become a parade-day tradition for many South Side families.
"It presents some challenges, but it is a positive thing to do," Lynch said.
