PPTC Cherry Tree 10 Miler and Relay

THE RACE
We're pleased to announce that registration for the 2023 edition of the PPTC Cherry Tree 10 Miler and Relay is now open.  It's the 28th edition of our signature mid-winter race!
From 1996 to today, the Cherry Tree has always been the Race for the Hardcore. Rain, sleet, snow or cold, we show up for this 10 Mile race and relay.
Run 10 miles on your own - 3 full loops of Prospect Park, or form a team of 3 runners, with each runner completing one 3.33-mile loop. All entrants receive a tech beanie as a race souvenir.  In the interest of environmental protection and waste reduction, you can opt-out from receiving a beanie during race registration.Pre-race Number and Souvenir distribution:  Friday, February 17 and Saturday, February 18 at Brooklyn Running Company, 480 Bergen Street at the corner of Flatbush Avenue.  Hours:  Friday - 4 to 6 pm; Saturday - 12 noon to 6 pm.Race Day Number and Souvenir distribution on Sunday, February 19 is at the LeFrak Center at Lakeside in Prospect Park.  Hours:  8:30 to 10 am.  No in-person registration on race day.Race Day baggage check is available at the Bluestone Cafe at the LeFrak Center at Lakeside from 8:30 am to 1 pm.In the interest of safety, strollers and pets are prohibited from the course.Medals will be awarded to all race finishers.Post-race refreshments including hot chocolate, bagels and fruit will be served at the Bluestone Cafe at the LeFrak Center at Lakeside.10-Mile Awards:  Cash prizes of $100, $50 and $25 to the top 3 overall finishers in the Male, Female and Non-binary categories.  Cherry Tree mugs to top 3 Male, Female, and Non-binary age group finishers:  19 and under, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70 and over.  Cash prize winners are ineligible for age group awards.Relay Awards:  Cherry Tree mugs to each member of the first team in the following categories:  All Male, All Female, All Non-binary, Mixed (any combination of Male/Female/Non-binary), Youth (all members age 18 and younger), Masters (all members age 40 and over).
Time Limit:  Runners have up to 2.5 hours to complete the 10 miles - this is a pace of 15 minutes per mile.  Scoring mats will remain in place until 12:30 pm.
The Cherry Tree takes place rain or shine.  We will announce any decision to modify or cancel the event due to weather conditions that could adversely impact roadway safety no later than the morning of the race.   Messages will be posted through email, PPTC social media, and on this website.
The 2023 Cherry Tree is a USA Track & Field sanctioned event.  Sanction Event ID #142597 
Prospect Park Track Club welcomes athletes of all abilities.  If you have questions about our race accommodations, please email us [email protected]
REGISTRATION DEADLINES and PRICING
Online Entry Deadline:  Saturday, February 18 at 11:59 pm. 
In-person Registration:  **NEW** This year there is NO in-person paper registration at pre-race number pickup.  Instead, you can continue to register online through Saturday, February 18, and then come to Brooklyn Running Company during our scheduled hours.  There is NO in-person registration on Race Day.
Entry Fees:  $30 through December 31; $40 from January 1 through January 31: $45 from February 1 through February 18.  Register early for the best price!
PPTC DOES NOT OFFER PARTICIPANT BIB TRANSFERS OR REFUNDS ON ENTRY FEES.
RELAY TEAMS
Please use the 3 Person 10 Mile Relay option to register.  All 3 Relay Team members do not need to register at the same time, however multiple entries can be submitted together.  The first person to register creates the team, and the remaining members sign up at their convenience.  The entry fee charged to each team member is based on the price in effect at the time of the person's registration.  Relay teams of 2 people are OK, too - one runner will need to complete two of the three loops for the team to be scored.
COVID-19 NOTICE
We strongly recommend that all registrants be vaccinated against the Covid-19 virus.  No proof of vaccination is required at this time.  If government mandates change in the future, we may have to revise our race procedures.  We will be sure to provide you with timely updates if we have to implement changes to the event.  Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.  
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
For the first time, we are adding a fundraising initiative to the Cherry Tree.  With your generous donations, PPTC aims to provide financial support to the Prospect Park Alliance, and in recognition of Black History Month,  GrowHouse NYC, a Brooklyn-based community non-profit.
50% of the fundraising proceeds will benefit the Prospect Park Alliance, the non-profit organization that sustains “Brooklyn’s Backyard,” and PPTC's home base, working in partnership with the City of New York. The Alliance was founded in 1987 to help restore Prospect Park after a long period of deterioration and decline. Today, the Alliance provides critical staff and resources that keep the park green and vibrant for the diverse communities that call Brooklyn home.  You will witness the fruits of the Alliance's efforts all along the Cherry Tree route!  For more information, please visit the Alliance's website, www.prospectpark.org. 
The remaining 50% of your donations will benefit GrowHouse NYC, a Brooklyn-based organization founded in 2017 in response to young Black adults who were neither in school nor working feeling they didn’t have space in their communities.  GrowHouse NYC empowers Black people and our allies to become developers of our communities through collective ownership of artistic production, neighborhood real estate and land, businesses, and cultural institutions.  2022-2023 initiatives include the acquisition of 3-6 properties in rapidly gentrifying historically black neighborhoods, removing them from the speculative market; delivering robust, deep touch popular education through the BlackOut curriculum, historic tours of the Flatbush African Burying Ground, Juneteenth events among others; and ongoing Art/Media/Design and Technology/Innovation projects serving as engines for sustainable and equitable human development, creativity and stability.  For more information, please visit their website:  www.growhousenyc.org
We encourage you to make an additional donation when you register for the race. Even if you are not planning to sign up as a participant, you can still make a financial contribution.  Either way, it's simple:  use the DONATE button at the top of this page.  The Cherry Tree race committee thanks you kindly for your generosity.