A few weeks ago, summer officially ended with the running of the Bangor Labor Day 5-mile road race.

On Saturday, October 7th in Guilford, the autumn portion of the TradeWinds Market Place Sub 5 Race Series kicks off with the 10th annual Race to End Domestic Violence 12K and 5K and 5K walk at Piscataquis Community Middle School.

The races start at 9 a.m. while race-day registration starts at 8 in the middle school lobby.

The race is sponsored by Womancare, which is a Piscataquis County-based organization which raises awareness of domestic violence.

“It’s great for runners that they come and support us, and it’s a good time for families to come together and do a walk,” explained race director Cathy Dixon-Wallace, who added that the race is Womancare’s “largest fundraiser of the year.”

Dixon-Wallace said this will be the 10th year for the 5K and 3rd year for the 12K.

The scenic course follows the Piscataquis River along the river’s trail, and is very flat and fast.

“Runners have said that it’s a pretty fast course,” Dixon-Wallace said.

Dixon-Wallace added that the race is an excellent way for the community to support Womancare’s cause.

“Just to have the community come out and support our work [is great],” she said. “The camaraderie is just incredible, people visit with people they haven’t seen in a while. It’s a good time to get people together who believe in our cause.”

After the races, an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast will be served in the middle school’s cafeteria. The breakfast fee is $5 for a single person or $12 for a family.

The 12K is good for points in the Sub 5 race series, and it’s the ninth race in the series.

Entry fee for each race is $15, both pre-registration and on race day.

Even if you can’t make it to the race, you can still raise money by mailing a check payable to Womancare to Womancare, 8 Winter Street, Dover-Foxcroft, ME 04426.

XC Festival taking shape

The Maine Cross Country Festival of Champions, which will take place in Belfast next weekend, should be a state-and-regional championship preview this year, literally.

Some of the 40 confirmed teams include powers such as the Cape Elizabeth girls, Brunswick, Waterville, Lisbon, Scarborough and Cumberland, Rhode Island High Schools as well as Penobscot Valley Conference powers Brewer, Bangor, Old Town, Hampden Academy and Caribou.

“It’s exciting that people want to come up,” said Belfast High coach Jo-Ann Nealey, who co-directs the meet along with Brewer coach Glendon Rand.

The challenging, fan-friendly 5,000-meter course is shaping up well, Nealey said.

“The weather has been cooperative, [the course] is looking good,” Nealey said.

The favorites on the girls’ side appear to be Scarborough, Brunswick and Cape Elizabeth while Waterville and John Bapst of Bangor should contend.

The favorites in the deep boys’ field include Scarborough, Bangor, Caribou and Cumberland, R.I.

Individuals who will contend include Erica Jesseman of Scarborough, Hilary Maxim of Old Town and McAuley of Portland’s Abby Isleborn in the girls and Corey DeWitt of Ellsworth, Sam Sheehan of Caribou and Casey Quaglia of Bangor in the boys.