This year’s 28th annual Detroit St. Patrick's Parade Corktown Races will be held on Sunday March 14th. More than 4000 runners, walkers and volunteers are expected to be part of one of Michigan’s biggest 5km races.

The new 5km course starts and finishes at Roosevelt Park in front of the Michigan Central train station. Participants will head out Michigan Avenue to Campus Martius and return in front of thousands of St. Patrick’s Parade spectators.

The new distance combines the run and walk allowing both races to cover the parade route while incorporating a more recognizable national distance.

The Fraternal Order of United Irishmen, (FOUI), who coordinated the race since its inception, will be on hand to distribute commemorative technical shirts and post race refreshments courtesy of the Motor City Brewing Works. They also plan to collect over 1000 cans of food that were donated to the St. Patrick’s food programs.

The top fifty male and female finishers, as well as all runners over seventy, will receive beer glass tumblers with the new Corktown logo emblazoned on them. Special prizes from the Twisted Shamrock will be awarded to the top overall winners, pub teams and best costumed runners. Last year, Paul Aufdemberge of Redford and Jackie Rzepecki of Rochester were the overall winners.

More than seventy, male, female and mixed pub teams are expected to challenge each other.

The Corktown Races begin at 11:30 am with FOUI bagpiper Gary Marchetti preceding the Kids quarter mile.

All participants and volunteers can use a parking lot owned by the Canadian Pacific Railway on 17th street just south of Michigan Avenue. Donations will be requested to support the St. Patrick’s Senior Center. Last year over $350 were collected.

New this year: Technical shirts with a more runner friendly breathable fabric from Leslie Jordan are being offered for the first time.

The web site has been updated significantly. For more information go to: www.corktownrace.com

Packet pick up and registration will be available at both Total Runner specialty stores located in Southfield and Southgate from March 6th to March 13th.

Race entrants are expected to join the St. Patrick's Parade spectators on Michigan Avenue at 2 pm.

Race co-directors Doug Kurtis and Greg Everal hope participation continues to climb as it has for the past four years. They will be supported by co-host clubs, the Downtown Runners and Walkers as well as the Motor City Striders. Strider President Ed Kozloff will be returning as the official starter.

Runners are encouraged to bring canned goods to the registration tent. The St. Patrick's Senior Center in Detroit will be the beneficiary of race proceeds guided by the Fraternal Order of United Irishmen to help aid their food programs.