Hop Online to Register for Hillsborough Hop 5K

Spots are filling up quickly for this year's Hillsborough Hop 5K.

The annual fundraiser sponsored by the Hillsborough branch of the Somerset Valley YMCA is scheduled for 8 a.m. June 1 and runs from the Hillsborough branch at 19 E. Mountain Road to the municipal building.

“The Hillsborough Hop brings families and the community together in a fun, 5K race that encourages everyone to strive for and reach a personal fitness goal. The Hillsborough Family YMCA is pleased to sponsor an event that has continued to grow in its 13 years and has become a fun spring fitness tradition in the Hillsborough community,” said Johnathan White, senior program director at the Hillsborough Family YMCA.

The  race  is  a  benefit  for  the  Hillsborough  Family  YMCA’s  Strong  Kids annual fundraising campaign, which provided more than $165,000 in 2012 in subsidized services to community residents, including community initiatives to support health and wellness, child care, summer day camp senior fitness opportunities, teen program collaborations and water safety.

Last year’s race was the largest ever, with more than 600 registered runners, and this year’s promises to be even bigger.  Registration for the race is at active.com.

To get runners fit, the Y has offered a variety of programs, including Running 101, a focused nine-week training regimen to ready entrants for a 5k. The program culminates with participation in the Hop. Since running 101 began, more than 230 children ages 7-12 and 180 adults have learned the proper training techniques to enable them to successfully compete in the Hop.