The Road Runners Club of America (RRCA)-New Jersey announced its nine-race running series last week, entitled "Run to Restore the Shore."  In its inaugural year, each race selected has vowed to donate money, per finisher, to the Hurricane Sandy Relief Fund.  With the goal of raising $100,000 toward families impacted by the storm, there is also an individual and team fund raising contest, as well.

The races selected for the 2013 grand prix racing series include the Super Sunday Run, Asbury Park Half Marathon, Ridgewood Run 10k, College Ave Mile, Atlantic City Marathon, Get the Gorilla XC 5k, Trick or Trot 5k, Trenton Half Marathon, and Super Santa Run.

For any runner who signs up and runs in any six of these races, they will receive a commemorative "I Ran to Restore the Shore" oversized medal. 

There are four categories for both the individual and team scoring: performance, participation, fund-raising, and overall.

Teams can be created using any one of any age or any gender.  Since the performance category uses age-grading, a group of men and women in their 50s could handidly defeat a team of men and women in their 20s in the performance category--not just in participation and fund-raising!

These days, many races aim to raise money and awareness for charities.  However, this is the first series of races in America that are all linked to a common cause.  If you would like to make a year-round effort to support those communities damaged by Hurricane Sandy, sign up today and shake the cobwebs off those running shoes!