ASHEBORO, NC – Get ready! Saturday, June 4th is the 6th Annual Run Wild 5K Run/Walk at the North Carolina Zoo sponsored by Chick-Fil-A, HealthSource of Asheboro and Triad Foot Center. Put on your running shoes and you may even hear the early morning roar of African lions or howling of the red wolves along the way! 

The race will take place along the connector road between North America and Africa and the visitor trails of the North Carolina Zoo. Participants will run or walk on both paved and gravel pathways featuring rolling hills similar to the foothills of North Carolina. The course begins and ends at the Solar Point picnic area where refreshments will be provided for participants.  

Awards will be given to the overall top three male and female finishers as well as the top three male and female finishers in each of the following age categories: 12 and under; 13-18; 19-29; 30-39; 40-49; 50-59; and 60 and older. Festivities at the Solar Point Picnic area include games for kids during the race and a Free Kid’s Fun Run after the race. Every kid gets a prize!! 

Fees: Includes timing chip, free pass to the zoo and a race t-shirt. Registration price for adults is $25, after May 4th $30, and $35 day of the race. For youth (under 18) it’s $20, after May 4th it goes up to $25, and $30 day of the race.  

The race, hosted by the North Carolina  Zoo is put on by the North Carolina Chapter of the American Association of Zookeepers, assist with providing funds for zoo keeper training and professional development, as well as local and global conservation like; Bowling for Rhinos, The Kendall Project, Polar Bears International, and UNITE. 

6:30 a.m. – Registration and packet pick-up begins

7:30 a.m. – Race begins

8:45 a.m. – FREE Kids’ Fun Run at Solar Point

8:55 a.m. – Awards ceremony

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About the North Carolina Zoo

The North Carolina Zoo provides an experience like no other zoo anywhere. With five miles of exhibits, nearly 2,000 animals and 52,000 plants it is the largest natural habitat zoo in the world and an international leader in wildlife conservation.

Find yourself surrounded by some of Africa’s giants including elephants, rhinos, and giraffes; share the love of gorillas with Mosuba and his six-member troop; welcome polar bear Nikita as he joins Anana in polar plunges every day at their Rocky Coast Exhibit; or join in the fun at the mud café in the Kidzone.

Located in center of the state in Asheboro, it is convenient to visit from anywhere in North Carolina. The North Carolina Zoo welcomes nearly 750,000 guests each year. Plan your adventure at www.nczoo.org.

About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources

The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (NCDNCR) is the state agency with a vision to be the leader in using the state’s natural and cultural resources to build the social, cultural, educational and economic future of North Carolina. Led by Secretary Susan Kluttz, NCDNCR's mission is to improve the quality of life in our state by creating opportunities to experience excellence in the arts, history, libraries and nature in North Carolina by stimulating learning, inspiring creativity, preserving the state’s history, conserving the state’s natural heritage, encouraging recreation and cultural tourism, and promoting economic development.

NCDNCR includes 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, two science museums, three aquariums and Jennette’s Pier, 39 state parks and recreation areas, the N.C.  Zoo, the nation's first state-supported Symphony Orchestra, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, State Preservation Office and the Office of State Archaeology, along with the Division of Land and Water Stewardship. For more information, please call (919) 807-7300 or visit www.ncdcr.gov.

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