By Wil Crews
sportscrews@opelikaobserver.com

Active Auburn, a community-wide campaign dedicated to promoting health and wellness, is sponsoring the first ever Tails and Trails Fun Run, accompanied by the ninth annual Bark in the Park, at Kiesel Park on Saturday, March 20.

Bring your best running shoes and your favorite running “pawtner” for this fun, easygoing event that is bound to be a dog-gone good time for any canine lover in the Auburn-Opelika area. “We just want people to come out and enjoy themselves,” said Active Auburn Coordinator Sarah Cook. “And we want the dogs to come out and be able to run it.”

The Tails and Trails 3K Fun Run will begin at 8 a.m., followed by Bark in the Park from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“Last year was going to be the first year, then COVID happened, so now we are doing it again,” Cook said. “So we are tying it into the ninth annual Bark in the Park.”

Although the race will not be competitively timed, prizes for the top three finishers overall will be awarded. If prizes don’t interest you personally, consider the four-legged companions, who can win the prestigious “best dressed” award for showing up in an eye-catching costume.

“I’ve seen dogs in all kinds of costumes, so I’m excited,” Cook said.

Winners will be announced at 8:45 a.m. under the white pavilion.

Online registration for the race has already begun.

Early Bird Registration is $15 and runs from Jan 4. to Feb. 26.

After that, late and day-of registration is $25 and runs from Feb. 27 to March 15.

In order to be guaranteed a t-shirt, participants must register by Friday, Feb. 26.

A limited number of t-shirts will be available to late registrants on a first-come, first-served basis at packet pickup. Packet pickup for the race will be on Thursday, March 18, and Friday, March 19, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Harris Center, located at 425 Perry St. in Auburn. Picking up race packets prior to the race is mandatory. The race course route will be posted at activeauburn.org and auburnalabama.org/parks on Feb. 26.

Don’t forget to stick around for Bark in the Park to enjoy playtime with the pups and a variety of vendors promoting responsible dog ownership. The Lee County Humane Society will be there with adoptable dogs; vets will be doing free microchipping; booths will be set up with pup accessories; and non-profits will be there to show support.

For race updates and announcements, go to @activeauburn on Facebook.