FEASTER FIVE THANKSGIVING DAY ROAD RACE ENTRANTS HAVE UNTIL SUNDAY (OCT. 30) TO CHOOSE BIB NICKNAME

Discounted registration fee also until Oct. 30 at www.FeasterFive.com

ANDOVER, Massachusetts — Runners and walkers planning to participate in the popular Feaster Five Thanksgiving Day Road Race have until Sunday, Oct. 30 to personalize their name, nickname, special message or team name on their bib when they register online at www.FeasterFive.com. Online registration for the Andover, Mass., road race continues through Nov. 18, but the discounted $30 registration fee also goes up after Oct. 30. 

This is the 24th year for the Feaster Five, one of New England’s largest road races with a field close to 10,000 in 2010 and a free old-fashioned apple pie for finishers from Table Talk, a long-time New England favorite. Bib personalization is a new feature of the Thanksgiving Day event this year – participants can be as creative as they want in 16 characters or less.

Among the VIPs, Feaster Five will welcome New England running icons Bill Rodgers, Joan Benoit Samuelson and Team Hoyt as featured runners at the 2011 Feaster Five Road Race with meet and greet opportunities at the Expo on Wednesday, Nov. 23 at the Merrimack Valley YMCA.

Hosted by the Merrimack Valley Striders and managed by DMSE Sports, the Feaster Five Road Race’s 5-mile and 5K races will begin at 8:30 a.m. and the Kid’s Fun Run at 7:45 a.m. All three races – which encourage walkers as well – begin near Brickstone Square on Main St. in Andover at the corner of Rt. 133 and Rt. 28. Proceeds from the race will benefit the Ironstone Farm and Merrimack Valley YMCA. 

The 2011 race will continue to feature a family division contest, where families of 10 or more receive prizes. Families who wish to participate register as individuals online at www.FeasterFive.com before the race fills up or by Nov. 18, and then send an e-mail to dmse@dmsesports.com with their members’ names, ages, race/walk entered (5 mile, 5K, Kids Fun Run) as well as the name and contact info - email, phone and address - of a designated team captain.

Awards are presented to the families with the most entrants. Prizes for families will include a Christmas tree and a spiral-sliced ham for the five largest family teams and a spiral-sliced ham for the next five teams. Dunkin’ Donuts gift certificates will also be given to the top 10 families with 10 members or more. 

Founded by Dave McGillivray in 1981, DMSE Sports is a leader in sports event management, specializing in creating, marketing and producing mass participatory athletic events throughout the U.S. and abroad.