Online registration for the 2018 Saints Kickoff Run is now open.
The seventh running of the 5K (3.1 miles) race will take place the day before the Saints open the regular season in a home tilt with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday, September 8. This year’s race will benefit Bastion, a local nonprofit organization that constructs specialized neighborhoods for returning veterans and their families.
With over 5,000 annual participants, the race is “a great way to honor and continue Mr. Benson’s legacy of philanthropy in the Crescent City,” said Chevron Gulf of Mexico Vice President Mark Hatfield, whose company sponsors the event.
The races begin at 7:30 a.m. for adults and 9:15 a.m. for kids. All runners will have an opportunity to win two tickets to a Saints home game in a costume contest before the races begin.
The starting line is in Champions Square, and the finishing line is the 50-yard line on the turf of the Superdome for both races. Upon completion, runners can enjoy live entertainment, jambalaya in Champions Square, and a beer garden. Each participant will receive a free t-shirt and finisher’s medal; young runners will get a Raising Cane’s Jr. Achievement award and will meet Jr. Gumbo at the finish line.
Local businesses and fans will have a chance to win the event’s Corporate Cup, an award for “a group of participants that registers as a team and best shows its ‘Black and Gold’ spirit by bringing the largest number of runners.” Recognized for their “contribution to the city and the Bastion Community,” the winners will take a team photo at the 50-yard line and are asked to make an additional donation at registration to “continue the giving tradition of the Saints Kickoff Run.”
The Saints are partnering with Easy Day Sports, “a boutique event production agency whose emphasis is creating memorable life experiences through premier, professionally managed endurance sports events.”
“With the kickoff of the Saints season-opener just around the corner, we are thrilled to share the excitement of the start of the 2018 season with the best fans in the NFL at the SAINTS KICKOFF RUN,” said Saints Owner Gayle Benson. “The annual Saints Kickoff Run presented by Chevron is a marquee event that provides our fans and the community the opportunity to come together prior to the start of the season.”
You can register for the run here.
